Gabriella Possum Nungerai

Born in Mount Allan in 1967, Gabriella Possum Nungarrayi is a talented Aboriginal artist from the Central Desert. The older daughter, Gabriella began painting at an early age alongside her father the renowned, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, whose works are represented in major galleries and private collections worldwide. He passed on his skills to his daughters whose paintings reflect his unique style.
Gabriella’s artistic skill was first rewarded in 1983 when she gained an award in the prestigious Alice Springs Art Prize while still a student at Yirara College. Her work has been praised as being “innovative” and “culturally significant”. Gabriella uses modern materials (acrylic paints on canvas) to create traditional designs. Her colors are inspired by the dramatic contrast in colour of the Central Desert landscape. Gabriella’s Dreamings include Women’s ceremonies, Milky Way, Bush Tucker, Goanna and Serpent Dreamings which have been handed down through generations of ancestors.

Gabriella’s work has been exhibited in Washington DC, USA, 1992, London, 1993, Berne, Switzerland 1993 and has featured in many group exhibitions both in Australia and overseas. Collections include the National Gallery of Australia (Canberra), the Museum Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, the Flinders University Art Museum Adelaide, the Holmes A Court Collection, the Kelton Foundation Collection, Winterthur Collection Switzerland and many others. For a young artist she has achieved great recognition, with many art collectors now acquiring and featuring her paintings in their collections.