Marlene Nampitjinpa and John West Tjupurrula are two members of the next generation of Papunya Tula artists, and they're traveling all the way from Australia to share their perspectives on the exhibition Irriṯitja Kuwarri Tjungu! Joining them are Nici Cumpston (Director of the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection at the University of Virginia), Henry Skerritt (Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of Virginia), Isaac King (Curator at the BYU Museum of Art), and you!
At this one-of-a-kind event, you'll get to meet the artists carrying on this incredible art movement, hear their community's stories first hand, and ask them questions about their art and careers! This event is free and open to everyone. Light refreshments will be served.
At 6:30, the artists will be in the gallery to explore the exhibition with visitors.
At 7:00, the panel discussion will begin.
About the Artists:
Marlene Nampitjinpa was born at Ngaminya, south of Kiwirrkura, c1959. She is the daughter of artist Nancy Nungurrayi, and the niece of Naata Nungurrayi. As a child, she walked with her family to Papunya, later living at Yayayi before settling at Kintore, where she worked in the clinic for many years. She married Andrew Spencer Tjapaltjarri, who occasionally painted for Papunya Tula Artists. Marlene began painting for Papunya Tula Artists in 2014, mostly painting the stories associated with sites Ngaminya, Marrapinti, Tjuntulpul, Irrututu and Karrilwarra. She is a long-time mediator for Pintupi communities, going back to her translation for the film Settle Down Country and has been a longtime spokesperson for Purple House. She served as board member and Chair of the Western Desert dialysis service, Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku Aboriginal Corporation, and is currently a board member of the Kintore Clinic.
John West Tjupurrula was born in the bush in Kintore in 1982. He is the son of Freddy West Tjakamarra and Payu Napaltjarri, and the half-brother of Bobby West Tjupurrula, all highly regarded Papunya Tula artists. Freddy West was one of the founding artists of the Western Desert movement, and a driving force behind the establishment of the Kintore and Kiwirrkura communities during the homelands movement of the 1980s. In 2024, he was a finalist in the prestigious Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The same year, he held his first solo exhibition at Agency Projects in Melbourne. John lives and works with his family in Kiwirrkura, regularly painting the sites Winpulpula and Palipalintja, associated with the closely-guarded Tingarri Song-Cycle. John also works at the Kiwirrkura school teaching two-way science, and as a ranger working in land management.