Michelle Possum

Michelle Possum 

Michelle was born on Napperby Station, located northwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. She honed her painting skills under the guidance of her father, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, who is celebrated as one of the most distinguished members of the original Papunya artists group.

Her art is deeply intertwined with her heritage, reflecting the bonds with her father, family, and native land. Michelle's paintings often combine vivid figurative representations with the significant topographical features of her ancestral country, encompassing a wealth of natural resources such as food and water. Her artwork is adorned with sacred sites and traditional symbols, alongside elements of bush tucker and waterholes, creating a resonant link to contemporary culinary spaces that rely on these resources.

Grandmothers Country Design Story

Michelle Possum's vibrant artworks are deeply rooted in her ancestral lands of Yuelamu at Mt Allan. Her pieces weave together the tales of Seven Sisters Dreaming, Bush Tucker stories such as Seed Dreaming and Bush Coconut, as well as Fire Dreaming and Goanna Dreaming. Additionally, she incorporates elements from Grandmother’s Country, creating intricate tapestries of cultural narratives.

Primarily illustrating the cartographic essence of her family’s traditional lands, Michelle's artwork highlights significant cultural landmarks she knows intimately. Her creations captivate a broad audience, especially in the West, as they unravel fascinating stories through their symbolic language. Her canvases are rich with depictions of flora, food sources, and waterholes, complemented by images of people integrated into the landscape—men equipped with hunting tools, and women with digging sticks and coolamons.