Pirrmangka Napanangka

Pirrmangka Napanangka was a Pintupi woman who was born at Tjintjin in the area of Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay) in about 1945. She was brought to Haasts Bluff with the rest of her family by the Northern Territory Welfare Branch Patrol. Her mother was the formidable artist Inyuwa Nampitjinpa, her father was Tutuma Tjapangati, one of the original painting group at Papunya where the painting movement started and was also a very highly regarded painter. Her sister, Walangkura Napanangka, was also an extremely fine artist who painted for Papunya Tula Artists. Pirmmangka and Walangkura both painted the stories of the Two Women, Kungka Kutjara. Both of their styles display a similarity of expression in their depictions of their traditional stories. The colours in their art are both bold and harmonious and all three women showed a masterly sense of design. Pirrmangka is in the collections of the National Gallery of Victoria, University of Canberra, Chandler Collection, Artbank and the Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs.