Lucky Kngwarreye (b. about 1952) is one of several Utopia women who during the 1970s began applying the imagery of body painting and other traditional forms to fabric dying techniques. Since 1988 they have also used acrylic paint on canvas and other surfaces.
Lucky Kngwarreye lives and works at Ngkawenyarre camp in the Utopia homelands. From 1977 she has exhibited batiks and paintings in numerous group exhibitions at venues including the Museum of Contemporary Art and SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney, the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory as well as museums in the United States, Cuba, Canada, Ireland and France. Her work is held by the National Gallery of Australia as well as the Holmes a'Court Collection and Artbank.

Made by Lucky Kngwarreye at Ngkaweneyerre camp, Utopia in Central Australia. In 1979 the Utopia pastoral lease was returned to the traditional owners, who have developed outstations based on kinship and language groups in various parts of their land. Since the 1970s batik textiles and more recently painting on canvas have become important elements of the local economy and have brought the Utopia communities into regular contact with the outside world.

Paintings (4), acrylic paint on canvas, 'Hunting kangaroo' (3) and 'Cooking kangaroo in the ground', acrylic paint/canvas/wood/metal, Lucky Kngwarreye, Ngkaweneyerre camp, Utopia, Northern Territory, 1996
Four paintings, acrylic paint on unbleached canvas secured with metal staples to wooden stretchers. The paintings depict a sequence of events in the car-borne hunting of kangaroos in Central Australia.
(-1) 'Hunting kangaroo'.
(-2) 'Hunting kangaroo'.
(-3) 'Hunting kangaroo'.
(-4) 'Cooking kangaroo in the ground'.
The detail of cars, kangaroos and people in the four paintings varies somewhat.

Designed: Kngwarreye, Lucky; Ngkawenyerre camp

Designed: Kngwarreye, Lucky; Utopia, Northern Territory

Made: Kngwarreye, Lucky; Ngkawenyerre camp; 1996

Made: Kngwarreye, Lucky; Utopia, Northern Territory; 1996

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