
Konstantina (Kate Constantine) is a proud Gadigal woman of the Eora nation and a neo-contemporary Indigenous artist. She is re-imagining the traditions of her peoples’ dot painters and providing a modern narrative for all Australians to better understand First Nations People as part of the fabric of Australia.
As a descendant of the Gadigal people, she is passionate about her Language, Culture and histories, much of which have been lost, misplaced or manipulated since the dawn of colonisation. Through her extensive research Kate is truth telling the real histories of her people and is actively involved in revitalising the Gadigal language via her collaboration with Sydney University to breathe life into the original language of the Eora Nation.
Her artwork tells of these histories, connecting to Country, and directly relates the struggles, inspiration, challenges and daily turmoil she feels at being a mum, a storyteller, a creative, a woman and above all a connected Aboriginal person to the land, the animals and spirit of our Country into her modern contemporary take on a time honoured tradition of dot painting.
Using acrylics, ochre, natural pigments and sticks found on mother Earth she sits quietly for hours producing works on paper, canvas and at scale for public art projects. She now resides with her husband and three young children on Bundjalung Country where she is inspired by the nature that surrounds her and her sons.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
2023 | National Capital Arts Prize - Finalist |
2022 | National Emerging Art Prize - Finalist |
2022 | Ocean Shores Art Expo - Finalist |
2022 | Arts In The Valley - Finalist |
2022 | Art Lovers Australia Prize - Finalist |
2021 | Fishers Ghost Art Prize - Finalist |
2021 | Ocean Shores Art Expo - Finalist (highly commended) |
2021 | BAM, Byron Art Prize - Finalist |
2021 | The Voice Australia, Artwork & visuals for Grand Finale |
2021 | Keynote speaker, inaugural TEDx Byron Bay. Theme ‘the space between’ |
2021 | Member of Indigenous Art Steering Committee for Waverley Council |
2021 | Art Lovers Australia Prize - Finalist |
2020 | BAM, Byron Art Prize - Semi finalist |
2020 | Border Art Prize, Tweed Regional Gallery - Finalist (highly commended) |
EXHIBITIONS - SOLO & SELECTED GROUP SHOWS
2023 | 'Garrigarang Badu' - Arts d’Australie • Stéphane Jacob, Paris. FR | SOLO |
2023 | 'Sydney Contemporary' - Carriage Works, Sydney. AU | GROUP |
2023 | ‘Parcours des Mondes’ - Paris. FR | GROUP |
2023 | 'Connection' - The Lume, Melbourne, AU | GROUP |
2023 | ‘Antica Namur’ - Namur. BE | GROUP |
2023 | 'black AND white' - Cooee Art Leven, Sydney. AU | SOLO |
2023 | ‘Antica Bruxelles’ - Bruxelles, BE | GROUP |
2023 | 'Djiyadi Ngumun' - Liberty Place, Sydney. AU | SOLO |
2023 | ‘Ancrage’ - Arts d’Australie • Stéphane Jacob, Paris. FR | GROUP |
2023 | ‘Art Paris 2023’ - Paris. FR | GROUP |
2023 | ‘Pink Heater’, Hôtel de Crillon, in assoc Arts d’Australie • Stéphane Jacob, Paris, FR | GROUP |
2022 | 'Connection' - National Museum of Australia, Canberra. AU | GROUP |
2022 | 'Ngawiya Ngubadi' - The Rodd, Sidney Nolan Trust, Presteigne. UK | SOLO |
2022 | 'Tjukurpa' - Aboriginal Art Galleries, London. UK | GROUP |
2022 | 'Raining On Eora' - Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney. AU | SOLO |
2021 | 'Negative Space' - Ninbella Gallery, Bangalow. AU | SOLO |
2020 | 'East Coast Matters' - Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney. AU | GROUP |
2020 | 'The Caste Collection' - Ninbella Gallery, Bangalow. AU | SOLO |
2020 | 'A Vision of Country' - Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney. AU | GROUP |
2019 | 'Blak Enough' - Ninbella Gallery, Bangalow. AU | SOLO |
2019 | 'Colour Correction' - The Annex, Tweed Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah. AU | SOLO |