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This painting was included in the exhibition Dreaming their Way. Organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C it was the first exhibition focusing on the work on Indigenous Australian women artists to tour the United States.
That's what I paint, all of those women traveling from Ngami in the west to Wirrul. They came here to give birth, and for ceremony. Then from here they travelled to Walkalkarra and then Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay), where the newborn babies were "smoked" or held over a fire to make them strong and protect them against evil spirits. It is my mother's country; she gave birth at this site a long time ago.
Language Group: Ngaatjatjarra
Dates: 1938–2013
Ningura Napurrula was born at Watulka, south of Kiwirrkurra. She married Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungurrayi and together they had Morris Gibson Tjapaltjarri. After meeting with Jeremy Long’s Welfare Patrol they moved to Papunya. Ningura began painting for Papunya Tula Artists in 1996. In 1999 she contributed to the Kintore women’s collaborative painting for the Western Desert Dialysis Appeal. In 2003, one of her paintings was used on an Australia Post international stamp. In 2004, her work was incorporated into the architecture of the Musée du quai Branly in Paris. In 2006, her painting Wirrulnga 2001 (also included in Irriṯitja Kuwarri Tjungu) was included in the exhibition Dreaming their Way at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. Ningura died at Kintore in November 2013.

NINGURA NAPURRULA, Wirrulnga, 2001
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas. 48 × 48 in. (122 × 122 cm). Collection of Richard Klingler and Jane Slatter.
© estate of the artist licensed by Aboriginal Artists Agency Ltd for Papunya Tula Artists Pty Ltd.

Ningura Napurrula.
Photo by Fred Myers.

Ningura Napurrula.
Photo by Paul Sweeney.

Ningura Napurrula’s work installed at the university building of the Musée du quai Branly, Paris, 2006.
Photo by Paul Sweeney.