Biddy Rockman Napaljarri facts for kids

Biddy Rockman Napaljarri (born around 1940) is an important Indigenous Australian artist. She speaks the Walpiri language. Her art comes from Australia's Western Desert region. Biddy has been painting since 1986. Her artworks are in famous places. One example is the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria.

About Biddy Rockman Napaljarri

Biddy Rockman Napaljarri is an Indigenous Australian artist. She is from the Western Desert region. She speaks the Walpiri language. It is important not to confuse her with another artist. That artist is Biddy Napaljarri White, who was born in 1952.

What is a 'Skin Name'?

'Napaljarri' is a special name. It is called a 'skin name' in Indigenous Australian culture. These names show family connections. They help people understand who they are related to. They also guide who people can marry. These names are not like European surnames. So, 'Biddy Rockman' is the part of her name that is unique to her.

Where Biddy Was Born

Biddy was born around 1940. This was near a place called Mongrel Downs station. This area is now known as Tanami Downs. It is in the north-west of the Northern Territory. It is close to the Western Australian border. Indigenous Australians often tell time differently. They might compare dates to other big events. This is why her exact birth year is not always certain.

Biddy's Family and Home

Biddy was one of six children. Her mother was Milkila Jungarayi. Her sisters, Mona Rockman Napaljarri and Peggy Rockman Napaljarri, are also artists. Biddy is a recognized traditional owner of Tanami Downs. This means her family has a long connection to that land. This recognition is under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976. By 2004, she was living in Katherine, Northern Territory.

Biddy Rockman's Art Journey

How Western Desert Art Began

Modern Indigenous art from the Western Desert started in 1971. Indigenous men at Papunya began painting. A teacher named Geoffrey Bardon helped them. They used acrylic paints. Their designs showed body painting and ground sculptures. This art quickly spread across central Australia. A government art program started in 1983. By the 1980s and 1990s, this art was shown all over the world.

At first, only men painted. There was some resistance to women painting. But many women wanted to create art too. In the 1990s, many women started painting. In places like Kintore, Yuendumu, and Balgo, people began making art. They created these artworks specifically for showing and selling.

Biddy's Painting Career

Biddy Rockman started painting in 1986. She began at Lajamanu, Northern Territory. This place is in the central desert. It is west of Tennant Creek. Western Desert artists often paint special 'dreamings'. These are stories or designs. Artists have a personal connection or right to paint them.

A survey of artists in 1994 identified her country as Jarlawangu. She painted Ngatijirri (budgerigar) and Warna dreamings. These stories belong to Napaljarri and Nungarrayi women.

Biddy Rockman's artworks are in major institutions. This includes the National Gallery of Victoria. Her art is also in important private collections. One example is the Nangara collection, also known as the Ebes Collection.

Art Collections

• National Gallery of Victoria
• Ebes Collection