Grandmothers' Countries - Jenni Kemarre Martiniello: a 2012 NAIDOC Week exhibtion
Jenni Kemarre Martiniello is a poet, writer, visual and glass artist. She was born in Adelaide of Arrente, Chinese and Anglo-Celtic descent, Kemarre skin. Her grandmother was born at Charlotte Waters; her father at Hookey’s Waterhole near Oodnadatta. She has four children, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild and is one of the busiest, most adventurous artists living in Canberra.
Martiniello was awarded the Canberra Critics Circle Award for Literature in 2000 and for Visual Arts in 2011, was an ACT Creative Arts Fellow in 2003 and the ACT NAIDOC Artist of the Year in 2009. Jenni has published five books and her poetry, prose and essays have been published nationally and internationally. Between 1985 and 2012 her work has been included in more than 75 exhibitions. She is represented in private and public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, National Museum of Australia, Canberra Museum and Gallery, Art Gallery of Western Australia and National Museum of Belau, Koror, Palau.
Jenni Kemarre Martiniello was one of three artists involved in the second PhotoAccess Indigenous Artist Digital Storytelling project in 2007 and her River story, inkjet prints and fabric banners were shown in our 2007 NAIDOC Week exhibition. She has shown work in several of our group exhibitions since that time.
Grandmothers’ Countries by Jenni Kemarre Martiniello is our contribution to 2012 NAIDOC Week. It includes images and a small selection of Martiniello’s exquisite recent glass works. PhotoAccess is privileged to welcome Jenni back to the HUW DAVIES GALLERY for her first solo exhibition with us and only her second solo exhibition of photographic work.
David Chalker
