Gladys Napanangka b. c.1930

Also known as Gladys Warangkula Napanangka
  • Artist (Painter)
Senior Luritja artist who lived in Papunya, she initially assisted her second husband, Johnny Warangkula, on his canvases. Her work is in the collection of the Art Gallery of South Australia.
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Born in a creek bed near Haasts Bluff c.1930, Gladys spoke and identified as Luritja because of her affiliations with the Haasts Bluff community. Her parents came from Warlpiri country north of Mt Wedge. Her first husband was Walter Tjupurrula, the former police tracker. After Walter’s death, she married a member of the original group of painters at Papunya in 1971, Johnny Warangkula, whom Gladys often assisted him on the backgrounds of his paintings as his eyesight failed. She also painted in her own right: a very large canvas of hers was included in Papunya Tula’s dramatic display at World Expo ’88 in Brisbane. She painted Witchetty Grub and other Bush Tucker stories from her father and mother’s country till her sight failed her. She lived in Papunya, where she was one of the senior women of the community at the time of her death in 2005.

Writers:
Johnson, Vivien Note: Primary biographer.
Date written:
1994
Last updated:
2011

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