Geneva's Rath Museum Showcases Indigenous Australian Women Artists in 'Elles' Exhibition

The Rath Museum in Geneva is presenting 'Elles,' an exhibition featuring contemporary Aboriginal women artists from Australia. The show includes approximately 60 works from the Opale Foundation, established in 2018 by French collector Bérengère Primat in Lens, Switzerland. Curated by art historian Georges Petitjean, the exhibition highlights artists who have gained international recognition after previously working in the shadow of male painters. Prominent figures include Emily Kam Kngwarray (c. 1910–1996), who represented Australia posthumously at the 1997 Venice Biennale and produced between 3,000 and 5,000 paintings in her final eight years. Her abstract works, perceived as chromatic symphonies, depict elements like yam roots and ancestral land markings. Another key artist is Sally Gabori (c. 1924–2015), who began painting around age 80, creating vibrant abstract compositions that reference her homeland and family history. The exhibition also features Eunice Napangardi (c. 1945–2005), known for paintings of sacred plants, and Patsy Anguburra Lulpunda (1898–2000), who started painting at age 100. A collaborative piece titled 'Women's Law Is Alive on Our Land' by artists from multiple communities is also displayed. The exhibition runs until April 19 at the Rath Museum in Geneva, Switzerland.