Finalist
2023

Angelina Boona Karadada

Angelina was born in Kalumburu and has lived in Kalumburu all her life. Her mum is famous artist Lily Karadada and her father is Jack Karadada, who was a medicine man and would make artifacts like didgeredoo and spears for hunting.

“My mum used to paint on bark, bush baskets and Numarrga (bush cradle). I learnt two languages from my parents, plus other languages in my life.”

In Karadada’s recent series “Wandjina Emerging”, the artist explores traditional painting mediums of white ochre, both saltwater and freshwater, which she collects herself and natural resin which she collects from the white gum tree. Laborious and strenuous activities, the artist considers the process important in connecting to her ancestors while creating extraordinary Wandjina paintings of luminous pale pink and chalky white with earthy texture.

Not only an excellent painter, Angelina is employed as a Senior Arts Worker at Kira Kiro Artists. She graduated from the ANKA Arts Worker Foundation Training Program and the National Gallery of Australia Wesfarmers Indigenous Leadership Fellowship in 2019. “I want to challenge myself to achieve my best. I think it is important for my whole community to have someone committed to the arts. I love doing art and running the art centre.”