Aboriginal Art Centre

Narpula Scobie Napurrula

One of the first few women known to paint for the Papunya Tula Artists, a group of artists of the Papunya Tula Movement which were highly regarded for their high standard work and powerful style, Narpula Scobie Napurrula imbibes her audiences to the mysteries and knowledge of their tribes’ forefathers through her depictions of bush tucker or food gathering and Aweyle or Women’s Stories Ceremony paintings on Canvas.

Though born in the Haast Bluff area (west of Alice Springs) in 1957, together with her family moved to the nearby settlement, Papunya in the early 60’s where they stayed. This enabled them to witness the birth of the Papunya Tula Art Movement in 1971 where her brother and her future husband, Johnny Scobie Tjapanangka became one of the pioneer artists. She apprenticed under her husband for years painting the background details of his works and later joined the group in the 80’s which further enhanced her way of expressing her Dreamings until their move to Walungguru (Kintore). There she was known as the only Pintupi woman painting for Papunya Tula Artists for a long time.

She is the younger sister of the famous desert artist Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula and an equally internationally renowned younger sister Mitjili Napurrula. She is also associated with Fabrianne Peterson, her daughter-in-law also an artist who apprenticed with her in the late 80’s. Since the death of her husband, Napurula lived in Yamunturrngu (Mt. Liebig) in the Northern Territory. Her works through the years continually advanced in portraying her personal Dreamings in combining diverse bright colors together with subtle color mixes on canvas, the manner of application with careful precision and grace on intricate details, and the innovative techniques she incorporated in the traditional depictions of their cultural heritage made her works breathe a contemporary persona.

Due to this continual progress in her art, many sought her works both locally and overseas. Collections of her works can be found in Sydney at the Australian Museum and the Artbank; in Adelaide at the South Australian Museum, Art Gallery of South Australia, and Flinders University Art Museum; in Brisbane at Queensland Art Gallery; in Cowaramup at the Holmes a’ Court Collection; and in U.S.A at the Kelton Foundation Collection.

References regarding Narpula are also found in the book by Aboriginal biographer Vivian Johnson entitled “Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert” and “Twenty Five Years & Beyond, Papunya Tula Paintings” published by the Flinders Art Museum. Narpula was also a finalist of the 18^th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award in 2001. Her most recent and prominent exhibitions include the Tingari et Cives at Galerrie Clement in Vevey, Switzerland (2008); Two Women Dreaming at Yanda Aboriginal Art in Melbourne, Australia (2004); Chapel off Chapel Gallery (Watiyawamnu Artists) also in Melbourne (2003); Flinders Art Museum in Flinders University, Adelaide (1999); Araluen Arts Center in Alice Springs (1995, 1998, & 2000); Australian Art, a touring exhibition in China (1988); and Art and Aboriginality in Portsmouth (1987).