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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 1958), also known as Wanuny Kulitja, is an amazing Aboriginal Australian artist. She uses many different materials like paint, glass, and ceramics in her art. One of her most famous designs is called Yananyi Dreaming. This special artwork covers an entire Qantas Boeing 737 airplane!

About Rene Kulitja

Growing Up and Moving

Rene was born in 1958 in Ernabella, South Australia. Her family belongs to the Pitjantjatjara people. Her Pitjantjatjara name is Wanuny.

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 to work in tourism.

Rene soon started working with arts and crafts at the local women's center. She also helped start Walkatjara Art. 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. She also took a course on 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 at Yulara asked them to create a glass panel. It was decorated with traditional designs.

In 2000, Rene was one of over 300 Aboriginal women from Central Australia. They performed at the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney.

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

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

Helping Her Community

Rene Kulitja has been an important leader in the Pitjantjatjara–Yankunytjatjara community for many years. She was 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 held this role for two years. As a community leader, Rene has worked to help her community with important social challenges.

Rene's Artworks

Rene Kulitja creates art using many different materials. These include paint, glass, ceramics, and tjanpi (desert grass). She works through the Tjanpi Desert Weavers group at 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.

An example of her glass art is at the National Gallery of Australia. It is a coolamon made of glass. Traditionally, coolamons are made from wood. This glass coolamon has been shown in several Australian galleries. Examples of her paintings are kept at the National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka.

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

Her artworks are part of these collections:

Art Exhibitions

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

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