Rosie Nangala Fleming

Rosie Nangala Fleming (c. 1928–2015) was an Australian Warlpiri painter and sculptor whose work is held in major collections, including the Seattle Art Museum, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Brighton and Hove Museums and Art Galleries.

Born around 1928, Rosie and her late husband relocated to Yuendumu, Northern Territory, when it was established as a government settlement after World War II. As a young woman, she worked with Mrs. Fleming, a Baptist missionary, to establish the Warlpiri Women’s Dreaming Museum in Yuendumu in the late 1970s. This museum served as a repository for ceremonial objects and artefacts and provided a dedicated space for women to gather. Rosie later became its president and administrator, overseeing its operations for many years.

Rosie Nangala Fleming used traditional Warlpiri iconography to depict Jukurrpa (Dreaming stories), particularly those related to Waitya-Warnu seeds, an essential food source for her ancestors. She crafted artefacts, seed necklaces, and woven mats for many years before becoming one of the first Warlpiri women to paint with acrylic on canvas when Warlukurlangu Artists was founded in 1985. Her Dreamings include Ngapa (Water Dreaming), Warlukurlangu (Fire Dreaming), and Yankirri (Emu Dreaming).

Rosie Nangala Fleming passed away in 2015, leaving behind a legacy as both a pioneering artist and a cultural leader in her community