Eunice Napanangka Jack

Eunice was born in 1940 at Lupul in the Sir Frederick Ranges. When Eunice was a li􏰀ttle girl, and like so many other Aboriginal families at the 􏰁time, shortages of food forced her family east towards the ra􏰁on stati􏰁ons being set up in central Australia. She remembers the travels with her family very vividly and refers to it as when her mother carried her piggy back all the way from Western Australia to Haasts Bluff.

Now an important woman in the community, Eunice is well known for her hun􏰁ting skills, dancing and tradi􏰁tional law knowledge. Eunice started painting with the opening of the Ikuntji Women’s Centre in August of 1992, and is part of Ikuntji Art Centre. Prior to that during the 1970s she assisted her husband Gideon Tjupurrula Jack who was pain􏰁ng at Papunya Tula. Eunice’s painting􏰁ngs are interpreta􏰁tions of her country near Lake Mackay. She uses layers of colour to build up a vision of the bush flowers and grasses. Amongst this landscape Eunice’s personal stories are told, either of the travelling of her tjukurrpa – the Bilby – or the people who once lived in the area. Her father was Tutuma Tjapangarti􏰁, one of the first men to paint for Papunya Tula. Eunice also paints his country, which includes Tjukurla, Tjila, Kurulto and Lupul. Her mother was from the Walpiri side of Lake Mackay – Winparrku – in Western Australia.

A brilliant colourist, Eunice’s Hairstring, Tali (sandhill), Mungada (apple) and wildflower painting􏰁ngs display great talent and dedication􏰁on to her profession and traditions. Her Hairstring works are made up of thousands of varied colour strokes, represen􏰁ting the hair being rolled on women’s thighs to make bags and clothing. Her Mungada (apple) works hold myriad dusted mauve circles overlaying the ground of varicoloured-feathered brushwork. 

Highly collectable, Eunice is represented in important collections worldwide.

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Selected Solo Exhibitions

Selected Recent Group Exhibitions

2022 Tjungu Tjukurrpa – Paris, voici nos Rêves !, IDAIA, Paris, France
2021 Painting Now – Peindre aujourd’hui en terres aborigènes, IDAIA, Le Havre, France
2021 Dessin du territoire – Territoire du dessin (Land Drawing – Land of Drawing), IDAIA, Le Havre, France
2021 Weaving Culture – Textiles aborigènes contemporains, IDAIA, Lyon, France
2020 Story Necklace exhibition, South Australian Museum
2020 Tarnanthi Art Fair 2020
2020 Country to Couture 2020, Darwin.
2020 DESIGN Canberra 2020 HOME:Made Exhibition and Online Auction
2020 Ikuntji textiles Exhibition, Central Craft Alice Springs

Collections