Mitjili Gibson Napanangka

Mitjili Napanangka Gibson was a respected Pintupi artist from the Western Desert region. Fluent in both Pintupi and Warlpiri, Mitjili could trace her heritage to members of the Pintupi whose first contact with white people was a meeting with the explorer Donald Thompson in 1957. While most Pintupi moved north towards Balgo or east towards Papunya, Mitjili Napanangka Gibson’s small family group moved to the Warlpiri community of Yuendumu. Mitjili was the niece of the highly acclaimed artists, Dorothy Napangardi and Judy Watson Napangardi. They shared many Dreaming stories, in particular those associated with Mina Mina, a sacred site for the Napanangka and Napangardi skin groups on Warlpiri land. Mitjili often painted using a blend of vibrant colours and earthy tones to convey the textures and stories of her ancestral lands.