Margaret Loy Pula (b. 1956) is an Anmatyerre woman from Utopia in Central Australia, approximately 230km north of Alice Springs. Hailing from an incredibly distinguished artistic family, she is the daughter of well known artist Kathleen Petyarre and the mother of Abie Loy Kemmare, also a rising star from the Utopia region. Both Abie and Margaret were taught to paint by Kathleen, as well as her aunties, the acclaimed Petyarre sisters - Gloria, Ada Bird, Myrtle, Violet, Nancy and Jean. Though exposed to painting from an early age, it was not until 2007 that she pursued her own art practice, quickly becoming one of Utopia’s most significant artists.
Painting traditional stories handed down from her father she depicts homelands, bush foods and ceremonial designs using a patternation of intricate dot work. Her primary subject matter, ‘Anatye’ or wild yam, is more than just a source of sustenance - the yam holds a deep spiritual significance to the Anmatyerre people who employ visual and verbal records of ancient belief and custom rather than written ones.
In 2012 Margaret was the first Indigenous artist to win the prestigious Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize in South Australia. In 2011 she was the first female artist to win the Sunshine Coast Art Prize and in the same year the first female artist to win the Paddington Art Prize (Sydney). She won the Muswellbrook Art Prize in 2013.
A select exhibition history includes ‘Art Stage Singapore’ (2016); Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane (2016); ‘Pulse Miami Beach’, Marc Strauss, Miami, USA (2015); ‘Margaret Loy Pula & Lily Kelly Napangardi’, Marc Strauss, New York (2015); Kogarah Art Prize, Sydney (2015); ‘Churchie Emerging Art Prize’, Griffith University (2015); Inaugural Grace Cossington Smith Art Prize, Sydney (2014); Redlands Art Prize (2014); ‘Salon de Refuses’, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney (2014); ‘Calleen Art Award, Cowra Regional Art Gallery (2014 and 2013); Alice Art Prize, Alice Springs (2014 and 2012); Gold Coast Art Prize (2013 and 2011); Whyalla Art Prize (2013 and 2011); Fleurieu Art Prize, SA (2013); Blake Prize for Religious Art, Casula Powerhouse Sydney (2013); Albany Art Prize, WA (2013); Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize, Bendigo Art Gallery (2013); Sulman Art Prize, Art Gallery of NSW (2013); Mosman Art Prize (2012); City of Hobart Art Prize, Hobart (2012); Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of NSW (2012); and City of Albany Art Prize, WA (2012)
