Tracey Ramsay - SOLO is a watershed moment for this emerging East Kimberley artist,
It’s her first solo show anywhere in Australia, following critical acclaim of her work in exhibitions with her sister Kathy, at a show in London last year and as part of Warmun Art Centre’s iconic artists’ collective.
Tracey is a Gija woman from the remote community of Juwurlinji, also known as Bow River. The tiny community numbers only around 15 but is a hub of art and creativity. As well as Tracey and Kathy, their father, senior artist and respected elder Rammey Ramsey, also resides there. Tracey’s work deals very specifically with her Country and the Ngarranggarni (Dreaming) of Juwurlinji, with a strong emphasis on six particular motifs. Working iteratively, Tracey renders intimately familiar spaces as a series of glyphs. The places and thus paintings become a minimalist code for all the cultural, social, historical and political knowledge the artist holds as a traditional owner of her Country. This code acts as both protection and engagement; histories are enveloped with pared down aesthetic and mesmerising palette, turning complexity into a bold and engaging invitation. However, Tracey’s work also hides elements of cultural knowledge, which are only for the initiated.
Tracey has inherited her father’s keen eye for colour and revels in pairing acrylic and natural earth pigments. This combination of colour and texture challenges traditional concepts of remote Aboriginal practice and creates unique space for Tracey within the broader dialogues of contemporary art.
In 2020, Tracey joined Warmun Art Centre’s Board of Directors and is now an advocate for the people and stories of Juwurlinji. Her increasing seniority in her community and growing reputation with both art lovers and collectors makes her one of the names most likely to define the next generation of contemporary Aboriginal artists.
View the catalogue for this exhibition HERE
