KENNY REID - Larrakia Aboriginal Painter and Carver

Kenny Reid is proud born and bred Northern Territorian with large families in both the tropical Top End and Alice Springs eastern Arrente desert country. Kenny is the great grandson of Granny Ababa a traditional Larrakia matriarch to many families around Darwin - Larrakia Country. It is Granny Ababa that taught and schooled Kenny in Larrakia art and culture.

Larrakia is saltwater and freshwater country. It is this Country and cultural inheritance from Granny Ababa that gives Reid his Turtle totem/moiety and other Dreaming stories such as "Itchy Billabong" and "Octopus" amongst other significant stories.

Kenny paints and carves hunting scenes and foods - particularly the edible seasonal fauna such as crab, stingray, turtle, barramundi, bream, magpie goose and bush turkey. Reid collects the timber for his carving while out hunting on Larrakia lands, mangroves and waters around Darwin.

As a recognised Larrakia artisan and cultural knowledge custodian, Kenny Reid is regularly commissioned for large public and corporate works in wood and stone carving, murals, artifacts and various arts. His large design pieces feature at the international Ghan Train terminal in Darwin. He was commissioned by the Museum and Art Gallery NT for a special Larrakia cultural project that allowed Kenny and a couple of other significant Larrakia men to build the first traditional dugout canoe in 60 years. The canoe is now on permanent exhibition at the Coomali Art Centre - adjunct to Bachelor Aboriginal Institute. There are various murals, interpretations and public works of Kenny's dotted throughout Darwin parks, facilities and urban developments.

Kenny lives in Darwin with his wife, children and Larrakia families. He takes on casual carpentry maintenance work when necessary. He is a quiet discerning man of few words and liked by all.

See bottom of page to see Kenny's collective works for sale

Unless otherwise stated all paintings are acrylic on canvas
All paintings are sign on the back and come with a Certificate of Authenticity.