Michelle Possum Nungarrayi

Michelle Possum Nungarrayi  

Granddaughter of Clifford Possum Tjapaltjairri, AO (c. 1937 – 2002),

Born:    1970 Mt Allan
Region: Papunya,  NT
Community: 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 works are very popular and on high demand from all over Australia and the world. Her first exhibition was a family group show in Brisbane, 1987, where her works were exhibited alongside those of her father and sister Gabriella.