Rene Kulitja

Rene Kulitja (born 1958), also known as Wanuny Kulitja, is an Aboriginal Australian artist. She works with a range of media, including paint, glass and ceramics. Her most famous design is probably Yananyi Dreaming, which covers a Qantas Boeing 737.

Life

Early life Rene was born in 1958, in Ernabella (Pukatja), in the APY lands, of South Australia. Her family are Pitjantjatjara people, and her Pitjantjatjara name is Wanuny. She grew up in northern South Australia, and then moved to Kaltukatjara following her marriage to Richard Kulitja. When Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park was handed back to traditional owners in 1985, the couple moved to Muṯitjulu to work in tourism. Shortly after moving there Kulitja became involved in arts and crafts at the women's centre, and was a founding director of Walkatjara Art.

In 2002, Kulitja worked with Balarinji Studio in Sydney to design the exterior of a Qantas Boeing 737-800 fuselage. The design she painted was of Uluṟu. It was based on traditional designs and sacred Dreaming legends.

Walkatjara Art Archive Araluen Arts Centre Collection National Gallery of Australia UNESCO, Brussels Environment Australia Collection National Museum of Australia Maruku Arts Collection

Exhibitions

TarraWarra Biennale (with the Tjanpi Desert Weavers/Fiona Hall), 2014 56th Venice Biennale (with the Tjanpi Desert Weavers/Fiona Hall), 2015 Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters (National Museum of Australia & international tour), 2017 Kunturu Kulini (Artsite Galleries, Sydney), 2018 48th Canterbury Art Exhibition (Melbourne), 2020 Rising: Shadow Spirit (Flinders Street Station, Melbourne), 2023