aboriginal artist: Lorna Brown Napanangka

View artworks by Lorna Brown Napanangka

Language: Pintupi

Community: Kiwirrkurra – Western Australia

Born: c 1965

Lorna was born c 1965 and lives west of Alice Springs. She is a second generation artist who paints for Papunya Tula Artists. Her father is Timmy Payungka Tjapangati, a painter belonging to the first generation of the Papunya Tula Artists collective.

Lorna herself began painting in 1996. From 1999 onwards, only three years after she started painting, her standing started to rise following her participation in the collaborative artwork “Kiwirrkurra Women’s Painting” for the Western Desert Dialysis Appeal.

Lorna has been exhibiting her work since 2000 with solo shows in 2002 and 2004.

Her work was entered into the 2002 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award.

Lorna’s style is extremely varied. Almost none of her compositions resemble the other. Seemingly, with little effort she moves from style to style, from medium to medium, and from colour to colour.

Lorna’s line and dot work mix together to create a balance that reflects the dynamic landscapes of the Western Desert. Her fine and rhythmic work evokes styles as diverse as the severe Western Desert, the grid patterns of the Tiwi Islands and semi-geometrical Art Deco motifs.

This enormous versatility is recognised by collectors worldwide. Lorna has exhibited in Australia and overseas and was a finalist in the 2002 NATSIAA.

Lorna and her husband Billy Ward, a well known Aboriginal artist in his own right, move between the communities at Kintore and Kiwirrkura, spending more time at the latter.

Selected Exhibitions:

2001 Pintupi, Alice Springs

2001 William Mora Galleries, Melbourne

2002 Glen Eira City Gallery, Melbourne

2003 Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne

2007 “Master Works by Papunya Tula Artists”, Birrung Gallery, Sydney

2009 “Sand Drawings of My Country” (SOLO show), Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne

2009 “20 Years Survey Show”, Depot Gallery (in conjunction with Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne), Sydney

Selected Collections:

National Gallery of Australia

The Aboriginal Art Museum of the Netherlands

Art Gallery of New South Wales

Artbank, Sydney