Mitjili Napurrula by Mitjili Napurrula

Mitjili is an acclaimed Luritja artist, born in 1945 at Papunya, 200 kilometres west

of Alice Springs. Her mother Tjunkayi Napaltjarri ‘came in’ from drought-stricken Pintupi/Lurjita country seeking refuge and rations in the remote community of Haasts Bluff (Ikuntji). Along with her extended family, she was settled at Papunya, where Mitjili was born. Like many of her generation, Mitjili witnessed the genesis of the Papunya Tula art movement and the artistic contribution made by members of her immediate family. Mitjili grew up in Papunya and moved to Haasts Bluff with her late husband Long Tom Tjapanangka in the late 1980’s during the outstation movement. The couple started painting at Ikuntji in 1992 with the opening of Ikuntji Women’s Centre, both contributing significantly to the emerging art movement there. She gained an international following after winning the Alice Springs Art Prize in 1999, and has been exhibited widely around Australia and the world.