Sharon Porter Napangardi / Country (SP002)

Sharon Porter Napangardi is a Pintupi artist from the remote Kaltukatjara (Docker River) community in the Northern Territory.

Sharon is the granddaughter of senior artist Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa and niece of renowned artist Nyurapaiya Nampitjinpa (Mrs Bennett). Tjawina and Mrs Bennett grew up ‘in the bush’ with their family. After their younger brother died, the family decided to move to the then newly established government settlement of Papunya.

Sharon spent much of her formative artistic years alongside her famous relatives, these older ladies guided Sharon and she continues to tell the stories passed down to her by them.

Sharon’s artwork depicts the main waterhole country associated with the Dreamings passed down to her by her Grandmother. The patterns within the artwork depict the surrounding topography consisting of sand dunes (tali) and rock escarpments (puli). The “U” shapes represent initiated women.

The knowledge of water sources was critical for survival and Country is still defined in terms of the location and type of water. Each of the hundreds of claypans, rockholes, waterholes, soaks and springs found in Sharon’s desert homelands is known through real life experience and the recounting of Jukurrpa (Dreaming) narratives by name, location, quality and seasonal availability.