Walala Tjapaltjarri
Walala Tjapaltjarri | |
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Born | Walala Tjapangati early 1970s Topsy Napaltjarri Takariya Napaltjarri |
Walala Tjapaltjarri (born Walala Tjapangati) is an Australian
Early life
Tjapaltjarri was born in the late 1960s or early 1970s. He was born at Marua, near
He is now married with two children,
Painting
Tjapaltjarri began painting in December 1987, a few years after settling at Kiwirrkurra.[1] He was introduced to painting by his cousin Warlimpirrnga.[5] He taught Tjapaltjarri about using paints and canvas. Tjapaltjarri joined the Papunya Tula artists, and he, Thomas and Warlimpirrnga eventually gained fame internationally as the Tjapaltjarri Brothers.[1] Although he normally paints using Tjapaltjarri as a surname, Tjapaltjarri's skin name is Tjapangati. He now works on paper with a mixture of paint and traditional pigments.
His paintings depict scenes from the Tingari cycle (sacred and secret songs about the ancestors of the Pintupi).[7] He uses only four colours at most, sticking to earthy, ochre colours to reflect the desert landscape. The places he depicts in his paintings are part of his traditional country,[5] including Marruwa, Mintarnpi, Wanapatangu, Mina Mina, Naami, Yarrawangu and Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay). These were places where the ancestors stopped for ceremonies when travelling across the country.[3]
Tjapaltjarri uses
His first exhibition was in 1997, for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award in Darwin. Most of his work is shown in exhibitions alongside the works of other Aboriginal artists. He has paintings in permanent collections in Australia, Europe and the United States. Tjapaltjarri paints the most out of the three Tjapaltjarri brothers. When painting regularly, he earns up to AU$2000 a day.[6] His paintings often sell for many thousands of dollars.[8]
References
- ^ a b c Johnson, Vivien (2008). Lives of the Papunya Tula Artists. Alice Springs: IAD Press. pp. 250, 252.
- ^ The exact date is not known, and different sources make very different guesses. Some of the years given by sources are 1969, 1972 and 1973.[1]
- ^ a b c d "Walala Tjapaltjarri". Red Desert Gallery. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ^ a b c Toohey, Paul (4 May 2004). "The Last Nomads" (PDF). The Bulletin. pp. 28–35.
- ^ a b c "Biography - Walala Tjapaltjarri". Aboriginal Art Online. Aboriginal Art Online Pty Ltd. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ^ a b Adlam, Nigel (3 February 2007). "Lost tribe happy in modern world". Herald Sun. Herald & Weekly Times Pty Ltd.
- ^ Bett Gallery (27 May 2008). "Auckland exhibition of leading Aboriginal Art". Scoop News. Scoop Media. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ^ Adlam, Nigel (23 June 2009). "Swine flu fears sweep through communities". Northern Territory News. Darwin: News Limited.