A spectacular new exhibition is electrifying the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, bursting with colour, music, and unapologetic joy. Super Kaylene Whiskey, a showcase of the celebrated Yankunytjatjara artist's work, transforms the gallery space into a vibrant, celebratory party, defiantly rejecting hushed, white-walled reverence.
A Portal to a Joyful Universe
Visitors are immediately transported into Whiskey's world through a giant, old-school television set. This serves as a portal from Kamberri (Canberra) to her home community of Indulkana, deep in the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. Inside, her life-sized pop-culture heroes—Wonder Woman, Tina Turner, Catwoman, and the ever-present Dolly Parton—have busted out of the screen and into the gallery.
The exhibition, curated by April Phillips, is a cinematic experience where Whiskey acts as director, scriptwriter, and star. Her work is rooted in the concept of Kungka Kuṉpu, or strong women, and flips the script on traditional portraiture. Instead of stepping into the worlds of the icons she adored growing up in the 80s and 90s, she brings them into her own.
Where Pop Culture and Country Collide
In Whiskey's universe, Dolly Parton might be picking bush tomatoes, Tina Turner could be noodling for opals in Coober Pedy, or Michael Jackson may be dancing with a water snake. These figures are seamlessly woven into Aṉangu storytelling, such as the Kungkarangkalpa Tjukurpa (the Seven Sisters songline).
"When I'm listening to music with my friends I might think: what if Dolly Parton and Tina Turner came and joined our party here in Indulkana?" Whiskey says. "In my paintings I can make that happen!"
The result is a world of glorious abundance. Lollipops and love hearts tumble alongside plates of bush tucker like quandongs and mingkulpa (bush tobacco). Lush gardens bloom under a vast blue sky, and honey ants patrol the borders of paintings. The overall feeling is one of a healthy, thriving, and abundant Country.
Redefining Portraiture and Celebrating Strength
The National Portrait Gallery has commissioned a major new triptych of Cathy Freeman, whom Whiskey elevates to superhero status, running so fast her feet leave the ground, with the Aboriginal flag as her cape. Another powerful work is her reinterpretation of Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, where the goddess is an Aṉangu girl witnessed and supported by a community of strong women—a potent rebirth and reclamation.
Curator April Phillips emphasises the revolutionary nature of Whiskey's approach. "What Kaylene wants to represent and immortalise is so different from the classical conventions that it almost creates a new pathway," she says. "Kaylene's in charge. She's in charge of her image. She's in charge of who's creating the story."
The exhibition is a profound declaration of self-determination and agency. The portraits are never of solitary figures; they are full of the animals, friends, food, and stories that constitute a rich life. The strong women in her art are entrepreneurs, gardeners, nurturers, and problem-solvers, coexisting without competition or hierarchy.
The experience culminates in a video installation where Whiskey is seen flying over Indulkana, cape streaming behind her, to the sound of Dolly Parton's Jolene. When prompted, the artist simply grins and confirms, "Yep, I'm flying." It's the final, perfect confirmation that in this universe, Kaylene Whiskey is truly super.
Super Kaylene Whiskey is on at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra until 9 March 2026.
