International superstar Beyoncé has posted pictures showing the artwork of well-known Pintupi artist Yukultji Napangati.
Napangati came to greater prominence after a 2005 exhibit of her work at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art. Her pieces are permanent fixtures in major art institutions in Australia and internationally.
The art collective which represents Napangati, Papunya Tula Artists, represents over 120 Indigenous artists from the Northern Territory and Western Australia, and will celebrate fifty years in operation next year.
Beyonce took to her Instagram to show off her acquisition, bought in 2019 during the Pintupi artist's first American exhibition.
The images have been shared by across social media by a number of figures including NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner.
A work of Napangati's displayed behind Beyonce. Source: Instagram: Beyonce
Papunya Tula Artists Gallery Manager Paul Sweeney said the painting found its famous new owners after a solo exhibition in New York in February 2019.
"Beyonce's husband or partner came in and bought it, Jay-Z. So it was actually sold before we got there," he said.
"The main thing is it went to a good home and is now getting very good exposure."
Referring to several of Beyonce's hit songs, the NT Member for Gwoja, Chansey Paech said he "crazy in love" with the images of Napangati's work alongside the superstar.
"Who run the world? After having her work shared with Beyoncé’s 193 million followers on Instagram, I'd say Yukultji does."
The Gallery's Instagram page also reposted the superstar proudly saying, "Just Beyoncé with her favourite painting by Yukultji Napangati."
Alice Springs has been the proposed location for a national Aboriginal art gallery for several years, with discussions over a location the subject of many local disputes.
The planned gallery will home and celebrate the contribution First Nations People have made to the art industry.
"It's certainly a project that's overdue when you think of what Central Australia have contributed... The town really should be a destination for people from all over the world to come and see work from this area," Sweeney said.
"It would definitely be great for the town and would repay all the hard work done by Central Australian artists over the years."
