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Jenny “Pineapple” Martinelli

West End

Australia

 

 

“Untitled” 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Artist Statement

 

When I play music, I see pictures, when I paint I hear music.

 

I’ve always painted in bright colours as my pottery will attest to. The use of dots in my work gives more brightness to the colours and using what is traditionally clashing colours gives movement to the paintings.

 

Dots were used traditionally in this country on the body with the painting used for ceremonial practises. Indigenous people use this art form to tell their traditional stories which are handed down to them by family.

 

I first stated playing with dots when sitting around with my desert friends painting. I have been careful not to steal stories by using this art form but use it to paint my story, which through my art is being revealed. My desert friend asked me once “what story are you painting?” My reply “unfortunately, being born in Western reality our stories has become lost so I paint and play music to discover these lost realms of the spirit.”

 

Jenny “Pineapple” Martinelli - 2004

 

Biography

 

In Brisbane 1964, Jennifer Martinelli was born. After several attempts from the age of 17 she finally escaped Queensland’s days of Joh Bjiekes tyrannical corruption at age 20.

 

Catching a bus down south with a multi-coloured 10 inch high “Stature of Liberty” style Mohawk, she arrived in the city of Melbourne, the birthplace of her mother who had left Jenny at the age of 3 with her father to raise.

Jenny was given the name “Pineapple” by Paul Stewart of the Painters and Dockers’ in 1985 as there were “too many Jenny’s” and Jenny was from the “land of the pineapples”.

 

In 1985 Jenny was an unofficial member of the P&D singing “Know your Product’ and joined 3CR community radio as an on air broadcaster. Frustrated with women’s roles, or lack of, Jenny started an all girl Punk band “Plain Wrap” in 1986 and also formed an 8 piece all female avant guard junk percussion band for the Fringe Festival. Jenny stayed involved in Fringe as an artist and musician until 2000.

 

Jenny’s life journey has led her to become involved in many musical and artistic endeavours including working as an official member of Painters and Dockers in 1997, design work with Pigtale Pottery in 1990 and guiding and working with Indigenous musicians and artists.

 

Jenny now writes and plays with fellow Indigenous musicians in “Black Velvet”.

 

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