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Rene Kulitja
Wanuny Kulitja
Qantas Boeing 737-800 Yananyi Dreaming Finney-2.jpg
Yananyi Dreaming at Adelaide Airport, 2005
Born 1958
Ernabella, South Australia
Nationality  Australian
Occupation Artist
Years active 1990s – present
Organization Walkatjara Art Uluṟu
Maṟuku Arts Board
Notable work
 Yananyi Dreaming
Style Western Desert painting, sculpture
Spouse(s) Richard Kulitja
Parent(s) Walter Pukutiwara, Topsy Tjulyata

Rene Kulitja, born in 1958, is a talented Aboriginal Australian artist. She is also known by her Pitjantjatjara name, Wanuny Kulitja. Rene creates art using many different materials. These include paint, glass, and ceramics. Her most famous artwork is likely Yananyi Dreaming. This special design covers a Qantas Boeing 737 airplane.

Rene Kulitja's Life Story

Early Life and Moving to Uluṟu

Rene was born in 1958 in a place called Ernabella, in South Australia. Her family belongs to the Pitjantjatjara people. She grew up in northern South Australia. Later, she moved to Docker River after marrying Richard Kulitja.

In 1985, the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park was given back to its traditional owners. Rene and Richard then moved to Muṯitjulu. They started working in tourism there. Soon after, Rene began working with arts and crafts at the local women's center. She also helped start Walkatjara Art. Her husband, Richard, became the manager of Aṉangu Tours.

Becoming a Famous Artist

In the mid-1990s, Rene worked with other women artists. They helped design the inside of the park's cultural center. Rene also took a course to learn about glasswork at the University of South Australia. Three other women joined her.

Their glass art exhibition was very successful. Because of this, Rene and the other women received a special request. The Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara asked them to create a glass panel. This panel was decorated with traditional Aboriginal designs.

In 2000, Rene Kulitja was one of over 300 Aboriginal women. They performed at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

The Yananyi Dreaming Airplane

In 2002, Rene worked with Balarinji Studio in Sydney. Her task was to design the outside of a Qantas Boeing 737-800 airplane. She painted a design of Uluṟu. This design was based on traditional patterns and sacred Dreaming stories.

The airplane was officially launched on February 14, 2002. Singers and dancers from Muṯitjulu performed a special ceremony. The word (y)ananyi means "to go" or "to travel" in the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara languages. This was the third Qantas airplane to feature an Aboriginal design. Rene did something similar again in 2010. One of her designs decorated a large semi-trailer truck. This was part of a national tour by Maṟuku Arts.

Community Work and Advocacy

Rene Kulitja has held important roles in her community for many years. She has been a member of the Muṯitjulu Community Council. She also served on the Board of Management for Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. In 2006, she became the chairperson of Maṟuku Arts. In October 2007, she was chosen to be a director for the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Women's Council. She served for two years.

As a community leader, Rene has worked to help solve problems in Aboriginal communities. She has spoken out about issues affecting families and young people in central Australia.

Rene Kulitja's Artworks

Rene Kulitja creates art using many different materials. These include paint, glass, ceramics, and tjanpi (desert grass). She works with the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, a social enterprise at the NPY Women's Council.

She makes paintings, woven baskets, and glass and ceramic sculptures. Her art has been shown in many exhibitions across Australia. It has also been displayed in Belgium and Japan.

Where to See Her Art

An example of her glasswork is displayed at the National Gallery of Australia. It is a coolamon made of glass, not traditional wood. This piece has been shown in several Australian galleries. Some of her paintings are kept at the National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka, Japan.

Rene Kulitja is also known for making traditional-style jewellery. She uses modern techniques and materials for these pieces. Some of her jewelry was shown on The Oprah Winfrey Show. This happened when Oprah Winfrey visited Uluṟu in December 2010.

Her artworks are part of these collections:

Exhibitions and Shows

Rene Kulitja's art has been featured in many important exhibitions:

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