SKU: 87664700334

"Bush Plum" by Polly Ngale

Sale price$3597.75 Regular price$3997.50
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $999.38 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 1 - Aug 6

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

"Bush Plum" by Polly NgaleDOB: c. 1940 BORN: Utopia, NT LANGUAGE GROUP:: Anmatyerre COMMUNITY:: Utopia, NT Polly Ngale is one of the most senior custodians of her country Alparra, in the heart of Utopia, located in the north west corner of the Simpson desert and roughly 350km northeast of Alice Springs, along the Sandover Highway. Polly belongs to the oldest living generation of Utopia women and her artistic career began in the late 1970s when she, like many of the women in

DOB: c. 1940
BORN: Utopia, NT
LANGUAGE GROUP:: Anmatyerre
COMMUNITY:: Utopia, NT

Polly Ngale is one of the most senior custodians of her country Alparra, in the heart of Utopia, located in the north-west corner of the Simpson desert and roughly 350km northeast of Alice Springs, along the Sandover Highway. Polly belongs to the oldest living generation of Utopia women and her artistic career began in the late 1970s when she, like many of the women in Utopia, began working with silk batik before venturing into works on canvas.

Polly is considered one of the most accomplished painters from the Utopia region and is inspired by the Arnwetky (conkerberry) - a green tangled, spiny shrub that produces fragrant white flowers. After the summer rains, tiny green berries begin to grow and ripen, changing colour over the weeks from light green to pinks and browns to yellow, to shades of red and purple when they finally ripen. The fruits very much resemble a plum and are often referred to in English by Polly as a 'bush plum'. The Arnwetky is a popular variety of bush tucker for the people of Utopia, as well as possessing medicinal properties.

During the Dreamtime, winds came from all directions, carrying the Arnwetky seed all over Polly's ancestors' Anmatyerre land. To ensure the continued fruiting of the Arnwetky, the Anmatyerre people pay homage to the spirit of the bush plum by recreating it in their ceremonies through song and dance, and in recent years, through painting. The patterns in the paintings can represent the fruit of the plant, its leaves and flowers, and also the body paint designs that are associated with it during the ceremony.

Polly shares this country and the Bush Plum (Arnwetky) Dreaming with her sisters Kathleen Ngale and Angeline Pwerle Ngale. Like Kathleen, Polly creates her paintings by building up layer upon layer of colour to create multi-dimensional images. The two have often collaborated and painted together.

Polly's paintings are borne from traditional knowledge and her confident approach to painting can be seen in the way she assembles streams of seeds, piling dots upon each other to create rich thick fields employing glowing palettes of colour. Pollys works range from extremely fine dotting techniques with either interspersed colours or areas of varying colours and depth all blending together across the canvas. Through extensive overdotting, she builds up layers of colour, blending or separate, to give a wealth of different and very attractive paint effects.

Her subject matter is drawn from acute observation and memory. Intimate knowledge of the country, personal history and ancestral journey. Seamless in her portrayal of these elements her paintings are sensory mind maps that reveal the artist's place, and her sense of self all within one framework. Polly's work has been increasingly exhibited since 1999 and in recent years, Polly has undergone a renaissance in her work - by all accounts producing some of the finest paintings of her career to date.

Her work has appeared in the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award since 2003. Her honourable mention as a 2004 finalist was followed by representation at the Contemporary Art Fair in Paris at the Grand Palais Champs Elysees. Polly was also represented in the exhibition Emily Kngwarreye and her Legacy at the Hillside Forum Daikanyama Tokyo in 2008.

Polly's work has been exhibited extensively both in Australia and overseas.

Collections

  • Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
  • The Holmes a Court Collection, Perth
  • The World Bank, Washington
  • Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
  • The Holt Collection

Awards and Recognition

2003 20th NATSIAA, Darwin - Finalist


Selected Solo Exhibitions

2019 Poly Ngale - Arnwetky, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney


Selected Group Exhibitions

  • 2020 Polly Ngale & Kathleen Ngale: Bush Plum Dreaming, Japingka Gallery, Perth
  • 2019 Summer Show & Art Parade, Salt, Queenscliff, VIC
  • 2019 International Women's Day, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney
  • 2019 Defining Tradition | the colourists, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney
  • 2018 Painting on Country - Utopia Artists, Japingka Gallery, Perth
  • 2018 Beyond the Veil, Olsen Gruin, New York
  • 2018 Indigenous Australia: Masterworks from the National Gallery of Australia, me Collectors Room, Berlin
  • 2018 Art Paris Art Fair, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob, Grand-Palais, Paris
  • 2015 Sixteen Artists 16 x 2, Japingka Gallery, Perth
  • 2014 Dot Code: Desert Artists, Japingka Gallery, Perth
  • 2014 Parcours des Mondes, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob, Paris
  • 2012 Lineart, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob, Gent, Belgium
  • 2011 Thinking outside the square, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney
  • 2010 Stories from the Centre, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney
  • 2010 Parcours des Mondes, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob, Paris
  • 2010 Parcours Nomad's en Australie, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob, Paris
  • 2010 Spring, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney
  • 2009 JGM Gallery, London
  • 2009 Size Matters, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney, NSW
  • 2009 Utopia - Bush Plum & Other delicacies, Honey Ant Gallery, Noosa
  • 2008 Emily Kame Kngwarreye and her Legacy: Visions of Utopia that Penetrate the Soul of the Eastern Desert, Art Front Gallery Hillside Forum, Tokyo
  • 2008 Utopia Revisited, NG Art Gallery, Sydney
  • 2008 Dreamings the Land, Outback Aboriginal Art, Caulfield, VIC
  • 2009 Utopia - Bush Plum & Other delicacies, Honey Ant Gallery, Noosa
  • 2007 Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob, Paris
  • 2007 Journeys and Dreams, Gecko Gallery, Broome
  • 2007 Visions of Utopia, Coo-ee Aboriginal Art, Sydney
  • 2007 Journeys and Dreams, Gecko Gallery, Broome
  • 2005 Neville Keating Gallery, London
  • 2003 Telstra Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
  • 2002 Two Sisters: Kathleen and Polly Ngale, Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, Melbourne.
  • 2000 Arts d'Australie Stephane Jacob / Espace Mezzo - Avenue des Champs-Elysees, Paris
  • 1992 Modern Art Ancient Icon, The World Bank, Washington
  • 1990 Utopia A Picture Story, batik from the Holmes A Court Collection by Utopia artists which toured Ireland and Scotland
  • 1990 Art of the Eastern Desert, Eastern Desert Art, Brisbane
  • 1989 Utopia Women's Paintings, A Summer Project, S.H. Ervin Gallery Sydney
  • 1989 Aboriginal Art from Utopia, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne

Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 87664700334

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.4 ★★★★★
Based on 15 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
M
Verified Purchase
Mike
Belleville, US
★★★★★ 5
Works For Desired Use
Color: Black, Size: 4 Panel-136‘’W-Round Pad
I recently purchased the Room Divider 6FT Folding Privacy Screens, 4 Panel Partition Room Dividers, and I must say, it has transformed the way I use my living space. The four-panel design is both elegant and functional, providing instant privacy without feeling bulky or overwhelming in my room. Setting it up was a breeze; the folding mechanism is smooth, allowing me to adjust the configuration as needed—straight, angled, or zigzag. I particularly appreciate the sturdy build; the panels feel solid yet lightweight, making it easy to move around when I want to reconfigure my space. Aesthetically, it’s a great addition. The neutral finish blends well with my décor, and the simple design doesn’t draw too much attention while still offering a sense of separation. It’s perfect for creating a temporary office corner, dividing a studio apartment, or even using it as a backdrop for online meetings. If I had to point out a minor downside, it would be that the divider isn’t completely soundproof—so conversations can still carry through—but for visual privacy and space management, it’s excellent. Overall, I’m extremely satisfied and would recommend it to anyone looking for a versatile and stylish room divider.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2026
A
Verified Purchase
Ansley
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
True to size & Use a Drill
Color: Beige, Size: 3 Panel-102‘’-Round Pad, Color: Beige, Size: 3 Panel-102‘’-Round Pad
Love this! Works perfectly for where I wanted it. I did measure my room incorrectly and thought it would be smaller, thankfully it’s not and thankfully it’s not bigger than the room itself. I did like how the whole thing was move-able but it was a bit annoying so I just added extra clips to the left of the middle one and unscrewed the right of the middle at the bottom so it opens like a door, this did make it a bit flimsy but duck taping it to the wall as anchor it works. 100% recommend, but do suggest a drill and a second set of hands to put it together, due to its size it can be a bit difficult to maneuver putting together yourself. Also if you have a clingy cat like I do, and think this will help keep them out, no, my cat who is very large can manage to squeeze underneath it.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2024
S
Verified Purchase
Sam
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 1
waste of money
Color: Black, Size: 4 Panel-136‘’W-Round Pad
This is a total waste of money. Its only going to free stand if you arent moving it. If you are planning on dividing a room, and then folding these for space and then dividing the room again, itll last a few days. The poles kept coming off of the screws that holds the fabric on the poles together. Was fixing this EVERY DAY. Finally got tired of doing this and just threw it out. Lot of money spent on garbage. Get a sheet room divider, or something that isnt cheaply made. Was simply making an office type space in a bedroom, to seperate the two areas for work, and folding it kept making the poles come off those twisted screws. just not worth it.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2026
A
Verified Purchase
Alysha H.
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
Absolutely love this room divider!
Color: Beige, Size: 3 Panel-102‘’-Round Pad, Color: Beige, Size: 3 Panel-102‘’-Round Pad
When they say you can't see anything through it, they are correct. As you can see by the video, the cars are traveling by with the sunlight on the divider and you still can't see any cars passing nor can you see the ones in the parking lot. You can also tell it blocks out the sunlight too which is a definite plus for our store. Quality material on the divider. Material is nice and snug on the poles with no ripples. I also like the base of these, they make the divider nice and sturdy and can be adjusted if floor is uneven. Also the design of the legs allow them to go under your furniture. Also putting them together is pretty easy. Just make sure you when you are putting the poles together to make sure at the top of the pole that the indent screw hole faces out. This makes for a better look. The directions don't say which way to turn and at 1st, I had one, one way and the other was another way as both ways work that way but I wanted a uniform/better look.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2024
B
Verified Purchase
B. R. Grande
New York, US
★★★★★ 4
Works well, need power tool to assemble
Color: Beige, Size: 3 Panel-102‘’-Round Pad, Color: Beige, Size: 3 Panel-102‘’-Round Pad
Sturdy enough, especially when feet are positioned for balance. Works perfectly to create a WFH “cubicle”. Can adjust the size to provide complete privacy or fold back a panel when I want more openness. The fabric panels are not perfectly taught, but pretty close. The only negative is that without my husband’s power drill/screwdriver we wouldn’t have been able to put it together. It would take the strength of Thor to do it with just a manual screwdriver.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2022

recommand products