Lorna Fencer Napurrula was born in the 1920’s in the Tanami Desert in Central Australia. She was the custodian of inherited land, Yumurrpa, south of Granites Mine Area of the Tanami Desert until 1949, when many Warlpiri people, including Napurrula, were forcibly moved to the government settlement of Lajamanu. Despite this, Napurrula maintained and strengthened her cultural identity through her art. As one of the first to take up acrylic painting at the Lajamanu School in 1986, she held a position as a prominent elder and teacher in the community. Napurrula’s works are known for their abstract and bold designs, featuring strong and vivid colours, created by free, gestural brushstrokes.
In 2007, Napurrula was named as one of Australia’s 50 most collectable artists by the Australian Art Collector Magazine.
Collections
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Museum and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Darwin
Australian Heritage Commission Collection, Canberra
Artbank, Sydney
Margaret Carnegie Collection
Laverty Collection, Sydney
Leewuin Estate
Aboriginal Art Museum, The Netherlands