Khatija Possum

Khatija Possum is the daughter Michelle Possum Nungurrayi and Heath Ramzan Tjangala. She is the third generation of painters in her family; her grandfather was the famous Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, renowned for being one of the founding artists of the contemporary indigenous art movement. Khatija's mother Michelle was taught to paint by Clifford and to this day carries on the traditional stories, style and much of the iconography of Clifford Possum, albeit with stronger colour and the addition of women's ceremonial stories and other women's dreamings.

Khatija learnt to paint by observing an assisting her mother. It is a process that highlights the importance of art in keeping culture alive as stories are passed from one generation to the next. As Khatija starts her own family, the importance of keeping her cultural heritage strong is of great consequence.
Khatija currently lives with her partner John Hayes in Melbourne.