Collection: Michelle Possum Nungurrayi
Born: 1970 Mt Allan
Region: Papunya, West of Alice Springs NT
Community: Papunya
Language: Anmatyerre
Tribe: Warlpiri
Michelle Possum Nungarrayi is the younger daughter of Emily Nakamarra Possum, and the famous Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, (deceased), renowned for being one of the founding artists of the contemporary indigenous art movement, and for being the artist whose work has achieved the highest price at auction for an Australian Indigenous artwork.
Michelle was born in Papunya Tula in 1970. Her life began in the remote Mt. Allan, to the north west of Alice Springs, in Australia's Northern Territory. Her family moved to Yuelamu, near Mount Allen shortly after. Michelle later married Heath Ramzan Tjangala, and had six children. These days she lives in Melbourne
Michelle and her sister Gabriella, were taught to paint by their father. She began painting at a young age and to this day, carries on the traditional stories, style and much of the iconography of Clifford Possum,
Her first exhibition was a family group show in Brisbane, 1987, where her works were exhibited alongside those of her father and sister Gabriella.
Her work is on high demand from all over Australia and the world.
Group Exhibitions
1987 Possum Family Paintings, Brisbane QLD
1995 Desert Dreaming
2005 Aboriginal and Oceanic Art Fair, Sydney NSW
2005 Christmas Show, Australian Contemporary Aboriginal Art
2006 Modern Masters from an Ancient Culture
2006 Opening Exhibition, Aranda Art Alice Springs NT
2006 Aboriginal and Oceanic Art Fair, Sydney NSW
2006 Shanghai Art Fair, China
2007 Shanghai Art Fair, China
2007 Hong Kong Cricket Club
2007 London Art Fair, London UK
2015 Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi & Michelle Possum Nungurrayi, Japingka Gallery, Perth
2016 From the Sand to the Sails | a Possum Family Exhibition
2019 Landscape Colours, Japingka Gallery, Perth
2019 International Women’s Day, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney
2020 The Continuing Legacy of Clifford Possum: Clifford, Gabriella, Michelle, Coo-ee Art Gallery, Sydney
2020 Family Business – The Art of the Possum Family, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney
2020 Colours of Spring, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney2022 Connection, National Museum of Australia, Canberra
Solo Exhibitions
2009 Michelle Possum, Australia Dreaming Art, Fitzroy VIC
2009 Generations, Aranda Art Gallery, Melbourne VIC
2015 Gabriella & Michelle Possum Nungarrayi, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle WA
2017 Gabriella & Michelle Possum Nungarrayi, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle WA
Collections
Aranda Collection, Melbourne
Knight Family Collection, Melbourne
Pat Corrigan Collection, Brisbane