TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI – the work / the history (another legendary indigenous artist

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Takariya Napaltjarri
Born	Kiwirrkurra Community, Western Australia
Style	Paint
Spouses	Freddy West Tjakamarra Richard Tjakamarra
Relatives	Topsy Gibson Napaltjarri (sister)

Takariya Napaltjarri (also known as Takirriyanya or Doris) (born c. 1960) is an Indigenous artist from Australia’s Western Desert region. She has painted with Papunya Tula artists’ cooperative. First exhibited in 1996, her work is held in the collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Life

Takariya was born around 1960 or 1965 in the desert near what is now Kiwirrkurra Community, Western Australia, on the Western Australia–Northern Territory border.^[1] Sources differ regarding her birth date: the Art Gallery of New South Wales indicates 1960,^[2] while expert Vivien Johnson reports two possible years, 1960 or 1965.^[1] The ambiguity around the year of birth is in part because Indigenous Australians operate using a different conception of time, often estimating dates through comparisons with the occurrence of other events.^[3]

‘Napaljarri‘ (in Warlpiri) or ‘Napaltjarri’ (in Western Desert dialects) is a skin name, one of sixteen used to denote the subsections or subgroups in the kinship system of central Australian Indigenous people. These names define kinship relationships that influence preferred marriage partners and may be associated with particular totems. Although they may be used as terms of address, they are not surnames in the sense used by Europeans.^[4]^[5] Thus ‘Takariya’ is the element of the artist’s name that is specifically hers.

Takariya’s mother was Papalya Nangala and her father was Waku Tjungurrayi, whose decision to avoid contact with Europeans was responsible for the family group not entering any established settlement until 1984. Takariya’s father died not long after she was born; she has siblings including older brother Warlimpirrnga Tjapaljarri and older sister Topsy Gibson Napaljarri, also an artist. Takariya married Freddy West Tjakamarra, however they later separated and she subsequently married Richard Tjakamarra and had a daughter Tatiga.^[1]

Art

Contemporary Indigenous art of the western desert began when Indigenous men at Papunya began painting in 1971, assisted by teacher Geoffrey Bardon.^[6] Their work, which used acrylic paints to create designs representing body painting and ground sculptures, rapidly spread across Indigenous communities of central Australia, particularly following the commencement of a government-sanctioned art program in central Australia in 1983.^[7] By the 1980s and 1990s, such work was being exhibited internationally.^[8] The first artists, including all of the founders of the Papunya Tula artists’ company, had been men, and there was resistance amongst the Pintupi men of central Australia to women painting.^[9] However, there was also a desire amongst many of the women to participate, and in the 1990s large numbers of them began to create paintings. In the western desert communities such as Kintore, Yuendumu, Balgo, and on the outstations, people were beginning to create art works expressly for exhibition and sale.^[8]

Career

In 1996, Takariya was represented in the Papunya Women group exhibition at Utopia Art Gallery in Sydney, and in 1997 was included in the Bulada exhibition at the Art Gallery of New Wales.^[2] She has painted for the Warlayirti Artists at Balgo,^[10] as well as for Papunya Tula, the premier Indigenous art company set up by Indigenous artists in the 1970s.^[1] Her work was included in an exhibition of Papunya Tula paintings at Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi in 2007.^[11] Western Desert artists such as Biddy will frequently paint particular ‘dreamings‘, or stories, for which they have personal responsibility or rights.^[12] Takariya “paints her mother’s Minyma Kutjarra (Two Women) Dreaming for her country, which is south of Kiwirrkurra and includes Marrapinti, Ngalpurrunya, Ngaminya rockhole, Karilwara rockhole in the hills west of Pollock Hills in WA, and Wirrulnga rockhole east of Kiwirrkura where the Tingari Women passed travelling east towards Wilkinkarra“.^[1]

Works by Takariya are held by the Art Gallery of New Wales,^[2] as well as in the private American collection of the Kelton Foundation.^[1]

Collections

Art Gallery of New South Wales^[2]
Kelton Foundation^[1]

References

Johnson, Vivien (2008). Lives of the Papunya Tula Artists. Alice Springs, NT: IAD Press. p. 303.
“Takariya Napaltjarri – Snakes and Freshwater at Warrumpa S.W. of Lake Mackay”. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art > Paintings. Art Gallery of New South Wales. 1997. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
Birnberg, Margo; Janusz Kreczmanski (2004). Aboriginal Artist Dictionary of Biographies: Australian Western, Central Desert and Kimberley Region. Marleston, South Australia: J.B. Publishing. pp. 10–12. ISBN 1-876622-47-4.
“Kinship and skin names”. People and culture. Central Land Council. Archived from the original on 10 November 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
De Brabander, Dallas (1994). “Sections”. In David Horton (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia. Vol. 2. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. p. 977. ISBN 978-0-85575-234-7.
Bardon, Geoffrey; James Bardon (2006). Papunya – A place made after the story: The beginnings of the Western Desert painting movement. University of Melbourne: Miegunyah Press.
Dussart, Francoise (2006). “Canvassing identities: reflecting on the acrylic art movement in an Australian Aboriginal settlement”. Aboriginal History. 30: 156–168.
Morphy, Howard (1999). Aboriginal Art. London: Phaidon. pp. 261–316.
Strocchi, Marina (2006). “Minyma Tjukurrpa: Kintore / Haasts Bluff Canvas Project: Dancing women to famous painters”. Artlink. 26 (4).
“Full list of Artists”. Warlayirti Artists. Archived from the original on 7 January 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
“Exhibition: In association with Papunya Tula Artists: 11 September – 13 October 2007”. Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi. 2007. Archived from the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
Johnson, Vivien (1994). “Introduction”. Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert: A Biographical Dictionary. Roseville East, NSW: Craftsman House. pp. 7–12.

soldOct. 20, 2020
Takariya Napaltjarri – Marrapinti, 2002
Est: $1,500 – $2,500
Sold:$4,600
Takariya was in her mid 20s when she came in form the Gibson Desert with the Pintupi Nine, the last remnant group of desert dwellers to settle at Kiwirrkurra and live a sedentary life. The lines in this painting depict the sandhills surrounding the rockhole and soakage water site of Marrapinti, to the west of the Pollock Hills in Western Australia. A group of women, represented by the ‘U’ shapes, camped at this rockhole before continuing their travels east passing through Wala Wala, Ngaminya and Kiwirrkurra. During their travels they gathered the edible berries known as Kampurarrpa or desert raisin from the small shrub Solanum centrale.
Cooee Art
sold
Jul. 21, 2010
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI Women’s Story, 2003 synthetic
Est: $1,000 – $2,000
Sold:$2,160T
AKARIYA NAPALTJARRI Women’s Story, 2003 synthetic polymer paint on linen 122.0 x 91.5 cm
Deutscher and Hackett
sold
Nov. 17, 2024
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI, ”Rock Hole Dreaming”, Acrylic on belgian linen., 124cm x 174cm
Est: $2,500 – $3,500
Sold:$2,000
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI ‘Rock Hole Dreaming’ Acrylic on belgian linen. Comes with Certificate of Authenticity. Artwork is stretched and ready to hang.
Ozbid Auctions
sold
Mar. 23, 2026
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI, Australia (Aboriginal) (1960 -), Untitled, c2002, acrylic on Belgian linen (ready to hang), 118 x 120 cm. (46.46 x 47.24 in.), frame: 120 x 122 x 5 cm. (47.24 x 48.03 x 1.97 in.)
Est: $800 – $1,200
Sold:$1,400
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI Australia (Aboriginal), (1960 – ) Untitled, c2002 acrylic on Belgian linen (ready to hang) Digital format Certificate of Authenticity, with artist holding photo
Lawsons
sold
Feb. 23, 2025
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI, “Rock Hole Dreaming”, Acrylic on linen., 124cm x 168cm
Est: $2,500 – $3,500
Sold:$850
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI “Rock Hole Dreaming” Acrylic on linen. Painted in 2005. Comes with Certificate of Authenticity. Artwork is stretched and ready to hang.
Ozbid Auctions
sold
Mar. 17, 2026
Takariya Napaljarri, (c. 1960), Womens Ceremony at Lampurarrapa WA, 2005, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 90 cm
Est: $600 – $800
Sold:$700
Takariya Napaljarri (c. 1960) Womens Ceremony at Lampurarrapa WA, 2005 acrylic on canvas inscribed verso ‘Takeriya, Cat. No. 110410’
Shapiro Auctioneers
soldJan. 15, 2023
Takariya Napaltjarri (Born c.1960) Oil on Canvas
Est: $100 – $500
Sold:$700
“Women’s Ceremony” signed at the lower margin. Takariya Napaltjarri (also known as Takirriyanya or Doris) (born c.?1960) is an Indigenous artist from Australia’s Western Desert region. She has painted with Papunya Tula artists’ cooperative. First exhibited in 1996, her work is held in the collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Locati LLC
sold
Mar. 20, 2016
Takariya Napaltjarri (b.c. 1960) Tingari Cycle, 2012 Acrylic on canvas
Est: $200 – $300
Sold:$600
Takariya Napaltjarri (b.c. 1960) Tingari Cycle, 2012 Acrylic on canvas Certificate of Authenticity: Australian Aboriginal Art & Photography Catalogue No: TN011112 105 x 76 cm
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
sold
Oct. 25, 2012
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI (BORN CIRCA 1960) Rockhole Site of Ngaminya 2009 acrylic on linen
Est: $350 – $550
Sold:$480
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI (BORN CIRCA 1960) Rockhole Site of Ngaminya 2009 acrylic on linen inscribed with artist’s name, size and Papunya Tula Artists’ cat no. ‘TN0903032’ verso 61 x 56cm PROVENANCE A.P. Bond Art Gallery Collection, Adelaide OTHER NOTES Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Papunya Tula Artists, NT
Leonard Joel
sold
Dec. 06, 2021
Takeriya Napaltjarri, Pintupi (b.c.1950), Pili Pili, Rock Formation 2008, Acrylic on Belgian linen
Est: $700 – $1,000
Sold:$450
Takeriya Napaltjarri Pintupi, (b.c.1950) Pili Pili, Rock Formation 2008 Acrylic on Belgian linen Ngintaka Aboriginal Art, Alice Springs, Cat. no. 330708 Corroboree Exports, Adelaide This painting comes with a photograph of the artist with the work
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
sold
Jun. 22, 2023
Takariya Napaljarri, c.1960, Women’s Dreaming at the Site of Ngalpurru
Est: $200 – $400
Sold:$225
Takariya Napaljarri c.1960 Women’s Dreaming at the Site of Ngalpurru acrylic on linen 1997, Papunya Tula Artists Pty Ltd., Alice Springs, cat. no. TN970476, acquired from the above in 1997, Collection of Richard Kelton and Kerry Smallwood Kelton, Santa Monica; Illustrated: Johnson, V., Lives of the Papunya Tula Artists, IAD Press, 2008, p.303
Abell Auction
passed
Nov. 14, 2013
Takariya Napaltjarri – Untitled, 2004 168 x 46cm
Est: $800 – $1,200
Passed
Takariya Napaltjarri Untitled, 2004 acrylic on linen 168 x 46cm Papunya Tula Artists no.TN0411279 on verso, with Papunya Tula certificate
Lawsons
passed
Nov. 21, 2013
PAYU NAPALTJARRI, TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI, YAKARI
Est: $15,000 – $18,000
Passed
PAYU NAPALTJARRI, TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI, YAKARI NAPALTJARRI, YALTI NAPANGARDI, YUKULTJI NAPANGARDI,KIM NAPARRULA born c1955, born c1960, born 1925, unknown, born 1970, born 1960 Untitled 2005synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen inscribed verso: YAKARI NAPALTJARRI TAKERIA NAPALTJARRI PAYU NAPALIJARRI YUKULTJI KIM NAPARULA YALTI
Lawson~Menzies
passed
Mar. 18, 2012
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI NGAMINYA 2003 synthetic
Est: $2,500 – $4,000
Passed
TAKARIYA NAPALTJARRI NGAMINYA 2003 synthetic polymer paint on canvas 91X46CM S provenance: AGOD# 11629 documentation, Papunya Tula Artists
Aboriginal Gallery of Dreamings
At the time of his death in August, 1998, M.N. Tjapaltjarri was one of the greatest of all Australian artists. He was born c.1926 at Marnpi (Bronzewing Pigeon) Rockhole, west southwest of Alice Springs, well towards the WA border. Traditional travels with his parents took him in all directions about this locality, including north to Nyunmanu (a major dingo dreaming site for which he also had responsibilities) and the Ehrenberg Range, south to Lake Neale, east to the Cleland Hills and west and northwest to the Warnman Rocks and Warlungurru (Kintore). By the age of five years he had a good knowledge of all the key points in this south-eastern Pintupi country.When his father was murdered by an Aboriginal avenger group and, in her anguish, his mother threw herself into a fire and died of her burns, the young Tjapaltjarri and his sister walked east, where they found kinfolk who cared for them.In 1932 he had his first associations with Australians of European background and soon afterwards began attending school at Hermannsburg Mission. However, at about the age of eleven he commenced horse-tailing and other stock work for an old cattleman called ‘Billy the Bunyip’ MacNamara. The ‘Namara’ portion of the name was coincidentally similar to one of his traditional totems – that of the Mallee Fowl – and from then on his name became an Aboriginalised version of MacNamara. This cattle station work was in proximity to Areyonga, an early settlement, and it was here that he was initiated.The establishment of Haasts Bluff cattle station and then Papunya in the 1950s and 1960s allowed him and his wife – as with many other Pintupi people – to move back closer to his traditional country. Although they were to have no children of their own, they adopted several children who became regarded as full members of the family.In 1971, encouraged by Geoff Bardon, he commenced painting at Papunya. His early works often had a bare background of black or rich red-brown, but were by no means restricted to these colours. Favourite early depictions were related to the Moon Dreaming, and Geoff Bardon’s film Mick and the Moon captures the wonderful variations in the artist’s works at this time. Later he widely varied his artistic styles and, because he had an unusually large range of totemic sites for which he had responsibilities, developed a truly remarkable number of variant depictions. Thus, in addition to the Moon, he painted Dingo, Mallee-fowl, Wind, Kangaroo, Dancing Women, Tingarri Men, Wren, Crow, Naughty Boys, Hopping Mouse and Bandicoot Dreamings. During the 1980s he developed a dramatic red and white ‘rectangle’ and ‘triangle’ form which derived from certain traditional patterns, but by the late 1990s was creating dazzling works, often in yellow and white finger-tip stipples.In 1981 he accepted an invitation to travel to Sydney where he and two other senior Pintupi men painted at the request of former Papunya-associated people who gave the name renegade to the exhibition – a good selling point in Sydney but a term never used by the artists themselves. Although involved in later interstate travels he much preferred to live at Papunya for health reasons and kinfolk ties. However, well after Warlungurru was established he moved there and was soon a key figure in the establishment of Nyunmanu homeland.The 1990s found him back at Papanyu creating magnificent works. He won the National Aboriginal Art Award in 1991, by which time the National, most State galleries had began to acquire his works as well as many private collectors and overseas galleries .Throughout his creative artistic time he remained loyal to the founding Papunya Tula Artists Company, of which he was a member, despite many private gallery owners and ‘go-getter’ individuals attempting to entice him to paint exclusively for them. He was an artist of integrity in all ways.Dick Kimber is a researcher and writer on Aboriginal art and culture in Alice Springs and one of the foremost authorities on Western Desert artists.
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February 9, 2026