Mitjili Napurrula
Born at Haasts Bluff, Mitjili is the daughter of Tupa Tjakamarra (now deceased) and Tjunkiya Napaltjarri. In 1959 Mitjili and her family moved from Haasts Bluff to the new settlement of Papunya. It was here that she observed the men, including her brother Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula (deceased) paint.
Initially, Mitjili’s paintings followed the style of the artists from Papunya. On returning to Haasts Bluff she commenced painting in 1992 for the Ikuntji Women’s Centre. She soon developed her own style drawing on her father’s Dreaming Uwalki, which is the story of the spear straightening ceremony taught to Mitjili by her mother.
Mitjili’s distinctive style is based on her father’s country, also called Uwalki, an area west of Haasts Bluff near the Kintore Ranges in central Australia. . Characterised by red sand-hills, bushes and trees it is here that the spearwood trees used to make spears, are found.
As custodian of the Kulata Tjurrkupa (Spear Dreaming) and representing the female side of the Dreaming, Mitjili depicts the trees (Watiya Tjuta) which provide the wood for the spears, whilst her brother is well known for painting the stories associated with making and assembling the spears. Mitjili husband Long Tom Tjapanangka (passed away) was also an accomplished artist.
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Collections:
- National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
- Flinders University Art Museum, Adelaide
- Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
- Artbank
- Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
- Edith Cowan University Art Collection, Perth
- Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
Exhibitions:
- 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998 Australian Heritage Art Award, Canberra
- 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999 Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
- 1994 Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne
- 1994 Hotel Shangri-la and Australian High Commision, Singapore
- 1994, 1998 Adelaide Fringe Festival
- 1994 Art Gallery of N.S.W., Sydney
- 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin
- 1995 Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
- 1995, 1997, 1999 Hogarth Galleries, Sydney
- 1996 Gallerie Australis, Adelaide
- 1996 "The Meeting Place" - touring exhibition, Australia
- 1996, 1998, 2000 Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
- 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 Aboriginal Art Galerie Bahr, Speyer, Germany
- 1997 Goteborgs Konstforening, Goteborg, Sweden
- 1997 Arnhem Land, The Netherlands
- 1997 Alliance Francaise, Canberra
- 1998 Art Gallery, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- 1998 Spazio Pitti Arte Florence, Italy
- 1998 Framed Gallery, Darwin
- 1998 Gallerie Dusseldorf, Perth
- 1998 Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs
- 1998 Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne
- 1998 Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
- 1999 Flinders Art Museum Flinders University, Adelaide
- 1999 Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, U.S.A.
- 2000 Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
- 2001 Galerie Knud Grothe, Charlottenlund, Denmark
Awards:
- 1997, finalist 14th Telstra NATSIAA
- 1999 Alice Prize (Central Australian Art Award), Alice Springs
Source: © Artist image Arts photographer Sabine Haider, Central Art 2009
Artist: Mitjili Napurrula
Skin Name: Napurrula (Naparrula)
Language: Pintupi
Region: Ikuntji
Vendor: Central Art
Dreaming: Spear Dreaming, Uwalki, Watiya Tjuta,
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