[3] Yukultji Napangati was born north of Kiwirrkurra near Lake Mackay in the Gibson Desert of Western Australia.
Living as a nomad, she spent the early years of her life learning about her country, such as the geography, topography, vegetation, fauna, weather, and seasons.
[4] Once her family was met with colonialism, she spent the rest of her life in contact with the world and modernity, which eventually led her to painting.
[8] Her family lived a completely traditional nomadic way of life on a diet of bush plants, kangaroo and goanna.
[4] John Kean, the art advisor from 1977 to 1979 said, "Papunya Tula painting was generated by the impact of indigenous culture with European aspirations and aesthetics.
For the first time, the women had independence to reshape the Western Desert art and expand on the Tjukurrpa knowledge, which became their creative inspirations.
[4] Napangati's style is frequently associated with minimal colors that produce a shimmering effect and her primary subject is "country".
[7] Her work often references Yunarla, a location off of the west of Kiwirrkurra where she spent time camping and collecting roots with other women.
[12] In a reflection on the work of Napangati, Cara Pinchbeck said, "Yukultji's paintings do not seek to explain the landscape but provide a sense of its immensity and importance.
In 2009 Napangati traveled to New York for a solo exhibition at Salon 94 in the Bowery which promoted monumental success for her career.
[16] In 2018 Napangati's work was included in the exhibition Marking the Infinite: Contemporary Women Artists from Aboriginal Australia at The Phillips Collection.
[17] In 2019, US rapper Jay-Z bought one of Napangati's artworks, which was featured on an Instagram post by his wife Beyoncé in July 2021, attracting 3.5 million likes within a week.