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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

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Makinti Napanangka, Kintore

2001
Hari Ho

type C photograph on paper (sheet: 101.5 cm x 76.0 cm, image: 73.6 cm x 58.3 cm, frame: 113.5 cm x 103.5 cm depth 4.2 cm)

Makinti Napanangka (c. 1930–2011), painter, was a leading artist of the Western Desert. A Pintupi language speaker, she was born in the Karrkurritinytja (Lake MacDonald) region on the border of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. She and her family walked in to Haasts Bluff in the early 1940s, before the Papunya Tula Artists' cooperative was established. She began painting at Kintore in the mid-1990s, encouraged by art coordinator Marina Strocchi. By 1996, when canvas was regularly distributed to senior Pintupi women, she was painting in earnest. Her style settled into complex, sometimes rough patterns of pale lines – evoking the Lupul rockhole, women's body paint, spun hair string skirts and groups dancing – on orange or ochre with bursts of pink, blue-mauve and yellow. In 2000 she was represented in the landmark exhibition Papunya Tula: Genesis and Genius, and in 2008 she won the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. Her work is held by all major Australian art museums.

Hari Ho commented that his almost entirely non-verbal communication with Napanangka helped achieve the 'transparency' that he aims for in a portrait. Ideally, for Ho, the subject is allowed to project their sense of self-awareness and individual living consciousness without the 'imposition of any superfluous "creativity"' on the artist's part.

Purchased with funds provided by the Basil Bressler Bequest 2004
© Hari Ho/Copyright Agency, 2024

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Hari Ho (age 53 in 2001)

Makinti Napanangka (age 71 in 2001)

Subject professions

Visual arts and crafts

Supported by

Basil P. Bressler (44 portraits supported)

Related portraits

1. Dadang Christanto, 2005. All Hari Ho.
© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

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