Walangkura Napanangka Snr

In 2005 artist Sally Smart joined Vivienne Webb, Museum of Contemporary Art curator, as the judging panel and selected Walangkura Napanangka (Senior) as the 2005 recipient.

Born in 1946 at Tjiturulnga, west of Alice Springs, Walangkura travelled around to different parts of the desert as a young woman with her family. Later she moved to Papunya where she lived with her husband Uta Uta Tjangala, one of the original founding members of Papunya Tula Artists. Walangkura’s career commenced when she participated in the Kintore-Haasts Bluff canvas project ‘Minyma Tjukurrpa’, in 1995. Walangkura first started painting for Papunya Tula Artists in 1997 and in 2002 beganspending more time at Kintore and Kiwirrkura. She now lives and works at Kiwirkurra with her husband and fellow artist Johnny Yungut Tjupurrula.

Walangkura has exhibited extensively, including in the landmark show “Papunya Tula: Genesis and Genius” held in 2000 at theArt Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney. She is currently represented by Utopia Art Sydney. Her work is held in the collections of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the National Gallery of Australia, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Artbank, The Kelton Foundation, USA and in the Aboriginal Art Museum, The Netherlands.