Kungka Kutjarra (Two Women) 2006

Makinti Napanangka made this painting, Kungka Kutjarra, using acrylic on canvas. Its sinuous lines and bright colors embody a complex cultural narrative. Napanangka was a member of the Pintupi tribe in Australia. Her works often relate to "Tingari" stories, a set of deeply significant narratives in the Pintupi tradition, connected to the travels and actions of ancestral beings. Though seemingly abstract, the lines and circles are visual codes representing elements of the landscape and the journeys of these ancestors. The painting documents women's business, which is one of the Dreaming stories, referring to a jukurrpa (dreaming), a place or story owned by women. To fully grasp the cultural significance of a piece like this, a historian would need to delve into the ethnography of the Pintupi people. These artworks play a vital role in preserving and transmitting indigenous knowledge, challenging the dominance of Western art narratives.