Kitty Napanangka Simon

Kitty Simon, skin name Napanangka, was born in Yuendumu in 1948, then was moved to Lajamanu at the age of 10. Her family’s traditional homeland is around the Lake Mackay area, about 650kms south west of Lajamanu.

Napanangka drew on her experiences as a desert walker traveling throughout the Tanami Desert and her knowledge of Warlpiri culture and ceremony to create her art. Her paintings masterfully combine optic whites with an array of bold pastels that, not only reflect her bright personality, but also define the feeling and colours of desert flowers, blooming after rain, the clear skies, and the salt plains of Mina Mina around Lake Mackay.

Working in a variety of mediums, Napanangka has achieved great success, appealing to a widespread audience, for her contemporary abstract art that subscribes to a distinctive, singular aesthetic.

Initially, Napanangka’s paintings were denounced by senior men in the Lajamanu community for appearing to digress too far from her traditional Jukurrpa (Dreaming). But it is the uniqueness of her work that has won many admirers, gallerists, and art lovers. Over time, her paintings have also become accepted and admired within the local Warlpiri community.

Napanangka’s art has been exhibited extensively around both Australia and internationally. She has been well represented by Cooee Leven Art Gallery in Sydney, featuring in solo exhibitions since 2013 and at the Sydney Contemporary Art Fair at Carriage Works.