Women's Cermonyby Ningura Napurrula

This artwork depicts the mythological events of Ningura's ancestors. Her work focuses on the travels of her female ancestors, the sacred sites that they passed, and the mythological significance of the bush tucker that they collected. The designs are associated with the rock hole sites of Palturunya and Wirrulnga, east of the Kiwirrkura Community in Western Australia.

In mythological times, one old woman, Kutunga Napanangka, passed through this site during her travels towards the east. She passed through numerous sites along the way before arriving at the permanent water site of Muruntji, south west of Mt. Leibig. These travels and rituals help to explain the current customs and the ceremonial lives of these Pintupi women.

Artist:Ningura Napurrula
Title:Women's Cermony
ID:NN1303002
Medium:Acrylic on Belgian Linen
Size:61 x 55 cm
Region:Kintore, Western Desert

Artist

Ningura Napurrula Gibson was born c. 1938 at Watulka in Western Australia, south of Kiwirrkurra Aboriginal community. Ningura Napurrula moved to Papunya in the early days of the settlement with her husband Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungurrayi,(passed away), who was a highly respected Pintupi elder who held significant knowledge of his countries Dreaming stories. In 1996 she was part of a group of elderly women from Kintore and Kiwirrkura who began painting for Papunya Tula Artists in their own right. Characteristic of her work is a strong dynamism and rich linear design-compositions created with heavy layers of Acrylic paint.

Ningura Napurrula participated in an initial Papunya Tula Artists exhibition in 1996 and she has been featured in several group shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin in 1999. She had her first solo exhibition with William Mora Aboriginal Art in 2000, and participated in the impressive Kintore Women's Painting for the Papunya Tula retrospective at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Ningura Napurrula was part of the original group of the higher-ranking women from “Kintore” and “Kiwirrkurra” who began painting for the Papunya Tula Artists which founded the Aboriginal Art Movement in 1971.

Ningura Napurrula work is described as dynamic, abounding strong lines with powerful colour and composition. Ningura is one of the most important and Australia's most collectable artists (Australian Art Collector no. 37) represented in Europe’s most important public museum Musée du quai Branly in Paris and Australian National galleries. Commissioned for Musée du quai Branly ceiling as one of the world famous Michelangelo Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Ningura Napurrula signature work is superimposed eternally on the ceiling of the Paris museum's building "Musée du quai Branly" for the future generations to appreciate it.

Sadly, Ningura is unwell and almost blind. Her work is in very high demand by international as well as Australian collectors. She has exhibited extensively within Australia and around the world.

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