Kaakurutinytja by Narputta Nangala, 55x75cm 95KIN36 WOP21

Kaakurutinytja by Narputta Nangala is a vibrant and assured work, painted in acrylic on Arches paper, that embodies the strength and continuity of Western Desert storytelling.

Narputta began her artistic journey by assisting her husband, developing a deep understanding of ceremonial design and Country before establishing her own independent practice. She went on to become one of the founding artists of Ikuntji Art Centre at Haasts Bluff, one of the most significant early art centres in Central Australia.

Her paintings give form to important Tjukurrpa (Dreaming) narratives, including Lampintja, Kaakurutinytja and Muruntji. These stories recount the travels of ancestral women who journeyed vast distances across the desert, gathering bush food and digging for sand goannas. Kaakurutinytja and Lampintja are culturally significant sites shaped by a woman ancestor digging for goannas, resulting in a large salt pan surrounded by raised earth mounds punctuated with deep hollows. Muruntji holds particular emotional and spiritual weight, as it is the place where Narputta’s father was laid to rest.

Through rhythmic mark-making and a confident use of colour, Narputta translates these ancestral actions into a living visual language, mapping memory, movement and Country onto the painted surface.

In recognition of her artistic achievement, Narputta Nangala was awarded the National Aboriginal Art Award in 1997, affirming her place as a leading figure within the Western Desert painting movement.