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
