Kngwarreye was born and lived in the Anmatyerre language group at Alhalkere in the Utopia community, located 250 kilometres (160 mi) north-east of Alice Springs.
Kngwarreye and his countrymen had their land claim approved in 1979 and throughout the years he felt the effects of different government policies on Indigenous people of the Northern Territory.
He participated in many international exhibitions and became known for depictions of his Dreamings; their abstract imagery, bold colour use, and intuitive interplay with space and form has cemented his name in the Aboriginal art scene.
While his spatial, painterly compositions have a Rothko-esque quality to them, the work of this Anmatyerre elder from the Northern Territory is clearly a unique Australian voice.
[citation needed] In 2013, Kate Owen Gallery presented the exhibition "The Master Returns" – a long-awaited new body of work by Kudditji and his first since overcoming a difficult battle with illness.
Gallery owner and director Geoff Henderson commented at the time, "Quite simply, this is the most powerful and compelling body of works I’ve seen from him".
[citation needed] The predominant Aboriginal style, developed with assistance from art teacher Geoffrey Bardon at the Papunya community in 1971, featured many similarly sized dots carefully lying next to each other in distinct patterns.
These paintings were romantic images of his country, accentuating the colour and form of the landscape, including the depth of the sky in the raining season and in the summer heat.
Whilst many international visitors compared him to the great American abstract impressionist, Mark Rothko, Kngwarreye was totally unaware of any similarities.
[citation needed] Kngwarreye held the responsibility of an elder, and frequently took the young boys/men hunting emu across his ancestral lands, merging tradition with practice as part of their initiation as men.
[2] Solo: Group: Artists around the world were inspired by the work of Kudditji Kngwarreye, including Melbourne-based painter Vincent Fantauzzo (a four-time Archibald People's Choice Award winner).