Ningura Napurrula | FireWorks Gallery

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Selected works

FW14145

Women's Ceremony

FW19259

Wirrulnga country

FW19260

Ngaminya

Bio & CV

Born: c.1938 Kintore NT – died 2013
Language: Pintupi
Country: Lake Mackay WA
Region: Waltulka, south of Kiwirrkura WA

Ningura is a senior artist from Kintore, 500km west of Alice Springs NT. Her painterly style and composition reflects a growing desire by her and many artists in the region to experiment with from and colour using Aboriginal narratives as a mere ‘starting point’, presenting modern and fresh paintings to a new audience.

Her work is characterised by a strong dynamism and rich linear design-compositions, created with heavy layers of acrylic paint. According to Australian Art Collector No.37, Ningura Napurrula is one of Australia's most important and collectable artists.

Ningura was chosen as the sole female desert artist to paint the ceiling of the acclaimed Musee du quai Branly in Paris, France. Ningura is represented in major public galleries both nationally and internationally including the Musee du quai Branly and her work is held in numerous collections nationally, including Nationally Gallery of Australia, Canberra and Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney.

Story/Statement

Being a traditional woman, Ningura would often sing the songs for the story appearing on the canvas as she painted. Her works focus on, and depict, the mythical travels of her Ancestors and the sacred sites in her country. Ningura, alongside other Pintupi women painters, took their art to a new dimension with their distinctive styles and technique. In fact they developed the classic Pintupi style of their husband’s legacy into delicately executed yet significantly strong contemporary designs. However, despite her bold and intense shapes, colours and forms, Ningura’s aesthetic is anchored by the activities and sacred rituals of women’s business.

NINGURA NAPURRULA

Born: c.1938 Kintore NT – died 2013

Language: Pintupi

Country: Lake Mackay WA

Region: Waltulka, south of Kiwirrkura WA

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2009 Ningura Napurrula: A Survey 2005 – 2009 Utopia Art Sydney NSW

2000 Ningura Napurrula William Mora Aboriginal Art Melbourne VIC

GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)

2020 Still in the Desert FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2013 Papunya Tula Artists: Community V Utopia Art Sydney

2013 Papunya Tula Artists: Painting Now Utopia Art Sydney

2009 Christmas Sale 2009: Women's Ceremony by Ningura Napurrula

2006 Paris Musee du Quai Branly

2005 Papunya Tula Artists Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi Melbourne

2004 Mythology and Reality - Contemporary Aboriginal Desert Art from the Gabrielle Pizzi Collection Heidi Museum of Modern Art Melbourne

2004 Peintres Pintupi Galerie DAD Mantes-la-Jolie France

2003 Glen Eira City Mason Gallery at Japingka WA Gabriella Pizzi Melbourne

2003 Australian Contemporary Aboriginal Art Toskansky Place Prague Czech Republic

2003 Masterpieces from the Western Desert Gavin Gallery London UK

2002 Araluen Art Centre NT

2001 Telstra Art Award Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Pintupi Alice Springs

2001 Aborigena Palazzo Bricherasio Turin Italy

2000 William Mora Galleries Melbourne Victoria Gabrielle Pizzie Melbourne

2000 Papunya Tula: Genesis and Genius Art Gallery of NSW

1999 Utopia Art Sydney

AWARDS

2009 Finalist Wynne Prize Art Gallery of New South Wales

2005 invited to paint ceiling at Musee de Qaui Branly Paris

2003 artwork depicted on Australia Post stamp

2002 Alice Prize highly recommended

2001 Finalist 18th Telstra Art Award Australian National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Telstra Award

2002 Australian Post - the Stamps Ningura Napurrula (Pintupi)

COLLECTIONS

Musée du quai Branly Paris France

National Gallery of Australia Canberra

Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney

National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne

Queensland National Art Gallery Brisbane

Museum & Art Gallery Northern Territory Darwin

Alice Springs Art Price Collection Alice Springs

Australian Tourism collection Adelaide

Australian Broadcasting Corporation Collection

Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Collection Canberra
Architecture Australia magazine

Aborigena at the Palazzo Bricherasio Turin Italy

Australian Contemporary Aboriginal Art in Prague Toskansky Place Prague Czech Republic

Masterpieces from the Western Desert Gavin Graham Gallery London United Kingdom

HOOD Museum of Art

The Palace of Japan (Tokyo) The Harold Mitchell Foundation and the Australia Council

Art Bank Sydney

National Museum of Women in the Arts Washington

The Palace of Japan Tokyo

National Gallery of Australia Canberra Queensland Art Gallery Brisbane

Art Gallery of South Australia Adelaide

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Darwin

National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne

National Museum of Australia

Homes a Court Collection Perth

Art Gallery of Western Australia Perth

HOOD Museum of Art Hanover

The Harold Mitchell Foundation

Kelton Foundation USA

Gavin Graham Gallery London

Donald Kahn Collection USA

Architecture Australia magazine

Aborigena the Palazzo Bricherasio Turin Italy

Australian Contemporary Aboriginal Art Prague Toskansky Place Prague Alice Springs Art Price Collection

Australian Tourism collection Adelaide

Australian Broadcasting Corporation Collection

Australia Council collection

Heidi Museum of Modern Art Melbourne

Australian Institute Aboriginal Collection Canberra

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