Mary Napangati solo exhibition

Mary Napangati was born near Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay) in WA circa 1955 and now lives on Pintupi lands in Kintore, NT. Mary began painting about 20 years ago, but since her husband Ronnie Tjampitjinpa retired her work has become more vibrant and distinct.

The paintings in the exhibition depict traditional designs associated with the rock-hole site of Tjutalpi near her birthplace.

In ancestral times groups of people gathered to perform dances and songs of this site, and gathered pura (bush tomatoes) and kampurarrpa (desert raisins). They also gathered wood to make wana (digging sticks). The round shapes represent the soakage waters and the lines can depict tali (sand dunes).