LOT DETAILS

Materials:

synthetic polymer paint on linen

Measurements:

72.05 in. (183.00 cm.) (height) by 60.24 in. (153.00 cm.) (width)

Markings:

bears artist's name, dimensions and Paunya Tula Artists catalogue number WN0401105 on the reverse and Utopia Arts Sydney label on the reverse

Provenance:

Painted in 2004 Papunya Tula Artists, Alice Springs Utopia Art Sydney, Sydney Private collection Cf. For a related painting by the artist depicting the same narrative see Hetti Perkins and Hannah Fink (eds.), Papunya Tula: Genesis and Genius, Sydney: Art Gallery of New South wales, 2000, p.138. Walangkura Napanangka was one of the first female artists to join the Western desert painting movement, working on the Haasts Bluff-Kintore collaborative canvas, Minyma Tjukurrpa in 1994. Born in the desert near to Tjitururrnga, west of Kintore, she moved to Haasts Bluff for a short period in the mid 1950s before taking up residence in Kiwirrkura where she lived with her husband Johnny Yungut Tjupurrula. Like her sister, Pirrmangka Napanangka , the majority of Napanangka's paintings refer to the journey of the malicious snake-woman Kutungka Napanangka at Papunya. During her travels through Pintupi country she consumed all humans that crossed her path. One man survived and upon his recovery fell in love with Kutungka. While the old woman slept the man took advantage of her and when she woke Kutungka was furious. After searching for her attacker, a brutal battle ensued where she attempted to strike him with her club. She eventually met her match and was killed by the man. The area of land where her club was beaten is now the location of a sacred rockhole. This painting is sold with an accompanying Papunya Tula Artists certificate