Nura Rupert, Untitled 2005 linocut
Nura Rupert, Untitled 2005, 32x52, Paper size 38x56cm
Apart from being a wonderful, highly original senior artist from Ernabella (Pukatja) community 440km southwest of Alice Springs Nura Rupert was also a Ngangkari (traditional healer) until her death in 2016.
Nura Rupert began her art career at a young age making hooked floor rugs and knitted jumpers. She also learnt woodcarving and poker work creating snakes, birds, tingka, wira and rabbits. In recent years she has applied herself successfully to the mediums of painting and printmaking and her quirky style has become highly sought after.
She is well known for her exuberant paintings and prints, which reveal a fertile imagination and keen sense of humour. Her favourite subjects include animals, birds and flowers, which she paints with a great sense of joy. She also frequently depicted a world of animated and mischievous figures, such as tjitji (children), papa (camp dogs), and various animals. She also represented a range of different mamu (spooky spirits) who can be seen and dealt with by ngangkari. While they are sometimes feared figures in children’s stories, Rupert’s spirits are not always malevolent, as can be seen in her cheeky, dynamic treatment of them.