Mitjili Napurrula

Mitjili Napurrula is a Pintupi woman from Haasts Bluff in the Northern Territory. Born around 1945 she is a half sister of Turkey Tolson, one of the most well known Pintupi artists and her Mother, Tjunkiya Napaltjarri was also an accomplished artist from this region.

Mitjili Napurrula married Long Tom Tjapanangka (now deceased) in 1965. Long Tom was leading senior artist at the Haasts Bluff Community and later Papunya Tula Artists.

Mitjili now lives and paints at Mt Liebig. She has become known for her large format, graphic, Matisse like designs using strong colours. The shapes are representative of the roots of the trees used to make men’s hunting tools.

She is included in many major collections including the Kluge-Rhue collection in San Francisco and was shown in the “Spirit Country”exhibition of this collection and featured in the accompanying publication by Jennifer Issacs in 2000.

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