Martha Poulson Nakamarra

Martha Poulson Nakamarra was born at Yuendumu in 1949 before permanently moving to Ali Curung (then known as Warrabri). Reflected in Martha’s paintings is her profound love of the bush landscape and hunting animals and the many bush foods in the Ali Curung and Wycliffe Well region. Martha began painting in 2003 at the Ali Curung Old Women’s Centre, before becoming a founding member of Arlpwe Art and Culture Centre in 2008.

After initially painting Jukurrpa (dreamtime stories), Martha’s work now focuses on her memories of hunting and collecting bush tucker with the old people of Yuendumu. Yuparli (bush banana), ngayaki (bush tomato), and other plants and features of the landscape are brought to life with a looseness of touch and an emphasis on bright colour. Martha creates a whimsical space to play with patterns and altered perspectives, producing a surreal and fertile world. At times, her paintings appear as if they could be the work of multiple artists.