Walala Tjapaltjarri

Walala Tjapaltjarri was born in the region Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay) in the Western Desert. In 1984, Walala and several other Pintupi people made first contact with present-day Australian society, They moved to Kiwirrkurra, a remote community in the Gibson Desert. In 1997, encouraged by his brother Warlimpirrnga (a very well known painter) he began to paint in a minimalist style reminiscent of engravings on weapons, sand paintings and ritual body painting.

In his art, he depicts the Tingari Cycle, a series of sacred and secret mythological ceremonies describing the epic journeys of Ancestors in the Tjukurrpa (Dreamtime). A series of sculptures were made as replicas of his paintings.

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Collections:

AMP Investments Australia, Sydney
Axiom Funds Management, Sydney
Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, Perth
El Paso Energy International Co, Houston, Texas, USA
Epic Energy Australia, Brisbane
Flinders University, Adelaide
Gantner Myer Aboriginal Art Collection, CNC International Corporation, Sydney
Hastings Funds Management, Melbourne
Kaplan & Levi Collection, Seattle, USA
New South Wales Art Gallery, Sydney
The Kelton Foundation, Santa Monica, USA

Exhibitions:

1997 - 14th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
1998 - "Tingari - Men's Business", Coo-eeGallery, Sydney
1998 - "Walala Tjapaltjarri Paintings", Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne
1998 - "Tingari Cycle - an exhibition of works by Walala Tjapaltjarri", Fire-works Gallery, Brisbane
1998 - "Tingari - My Dreaming", Japingka Gallery, Fremantle
1998 - 15th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
1999 - "Tingari Cycle", Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane
1999 - "Spirit Country", The California Palace of the Legion of Honour, San Francisco, USA
1999 - "Recent Works by Walala Tjapaltjarri and Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri", Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London
1999 - "Painting the Desert", Alliance Francaise de Canberra and the French Embassy, Canberra
1999 - 16th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
2000 - "Walala Tjapaltjarri and Dr George Tjapaltjarri", Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery, Sydney
2000 - "Songlines: Walala Tjapaltjarri and Dorothy Napangardi", Rebecca Hossask Gallery, London
2000 - "My Country - Journeys of our Ancestors Ancient Earth Indigenous Art", Cairns
2000 - "Lines", Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane
2000 - Landmarks Exhibition Dar Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, QLD
2000 - 5th National Indigenous Heritage Art Award, Australian Heritage Commission, Canberra
2000 - 17th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
2000 - "Melbourne Art Fair 2000", Melbourne
2000-2001 - The Art of Place Exhibition, Australian Heritage Commission, National Tour
2004 - "Papunya: Painters of the Western Desert", Addison Galleries, NSW Peintres Pintupi Galerie DAD, Mantes-la-Jolie, France
2005 - "Smoke: Campfire Group and other commissioned works", Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane

Central Art Exhibitions:

Source: Kreczmanski, Janusz B & Birnberg, Margo (eds.): Aboriginal Artists: Dictionary of Biographies: Central Desert, Western Desert & Kimberley Region (JB Publishing Australia, Marleston, 2004)

Artist: Walala Tjapaltjarri

Skin Name: Tjapaljarri

Language: Pintupi

Region: Kiwirrkurra

Vendor: Central Art

Dreaming: Tingari cycle,sand paintings, ritual body painting, weapons, minimalist style

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