Naata Nungurrayi

Early Life and Cultural Background

Naata Nungurrayi was born in the bush country around 1932 near the Pollock Hills in Western Australia, in the Kumil area. She belonged to the Pintupi language community and her childhood years were spent as a hunter-gatherer and a nomadic living in the Gibson Desert, which is the home of Country.

Around 1962-1963, she and her family connected with the welfare patrols, left the desert, and moved to Papunya.. Later, after some shifting, she settled around Kintore when the Pintupi homelands movement allowed people to return west.

Artistic Beginnings and Development

Naata started her actual painting career quite late despite her strong cultural background. She began painting with Papunya Tula Artists in 1996. Early works frequently represented the scenery around Kiwirrkura and Kintore, in particular, women's waterholes, places of ceremony, and her Dreaming (Tjukurrpa) narratives.

Her style is characterised by a combination of geometric lines, vigorous line work and organic painting textures. She frequently employed pale creamy ochres, which make her works soft, as opposed to more dense applications of paint and highly textured surfaces. Her paintings incorporate visual elements such as sandhills ("tali"), rock outcrops ("puli"), encampments and waterholes.

Recognition, Collections, and Exhibitions

Naata became a well-known artist both locally and internationally. Highlights include:

  • In 2003, one of her paintings was chosen to be featured on an international stamp by Australia Post.
  • In 2004, Australian Art Collector ranked her in the Top 50 Most Collectable Artists of Australia.
  • She was a frequent entrant and finalist in the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA).

Her works are held in many major public and private collections, including:

  • National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
  • Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
  • National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
  • Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra
  • International museums like the Aboriginal Art Museum in Utrecht, and museums in the USA and Europe.

Cultural Authority and Dreaming

As a senior elder, Naata held significant cultural authority. Her family lineage and initiation into Women's Law gave her the right to represent sacred women's sites, ceremonial stories and Dreaming that are not accessible to every person. Her works typically revolve around the ceremonies of women around the area referred to as Marrapinta, among others.

Late Years Life & Legacy

Naata went on to paint later in her life, but her health problems increasingly restricted her. She passed away on 24 September 2021. Her death saddened the art community, where she made very significant contributions to Aboriginal art in Australia and culture.

Naata Nungurrayi was not just an artist, she was a cultural custodian whose paintings bore the stories, laws and landscape of her people. Her many-layered works are not only aesthetic but also a quite effective memory, ritual, and belonging to the Country. She started painting in her later life, but with her authority, lineage and unique tone of voice, she was one of the leading women artists of the West Desert Aboriginal women. Her art, her family and her cultural knowledge are a continuation of her legacy.

Deep Dive into Naata Nungurrayi with Mandel

Visit the art paintings and colourful accounts of Dreamtime by Naata Nungurrayi. All her works constitute her interpretation of the heritage of the Aborigines and Utopian history.

Come and visit Mandel Aboriginal Art Gallery, contact us at 03 9497 5111 or go through our online gallery. The legacy of Naata is something that brings an aspect of Aboriginal cultural identity and art to the world, where it can be appreciated by art enthusiasts around the world without ceasing.

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