Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa (Mrs Bennett)

Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa, also known as Mrs. Bennett, was a Pintupi woman born circa 1935 in Yumara, north of Docker River, Western Australia. She later relocated to Kintore. She was married to John Bennett Tjapangati (c.1930-2002), a Pintupi speaker from Mukulurruone and one of the original artists of the Papunya movement in the 1970s.

Mrs. Bennett began painting in the early 1990s. In 1994, she, alongside Naata Nungurrayi and other senior women from Haasts Bluff and Kintore, was introduced to painting materials through a collaborative canvas project. This initiative led to the creation of Minyma Tjukurrpa (1995), which was exhibited at the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute.

While living in Kintore, Nyurapayia consistently maintained a distinctive and individual style of mark-making. Her unique approach earned her recognition as one of the most respected women artists associated with Papunya Tula.

In Australian Art Collector Issue 15 (January-March 2001), Nyurapayia was named among Australia's 50 most collectible artists. Her work has been exhibited widely across Australia, as well as in Singapore and Germany. It is held in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, the National Gallery of Victoria, Artbank, and numerous corporate and private collections worldwide.