Pintupi Exhibition

19.05.08 | by Sabine Haider

Central Art has put together a striking exhibition featuring thirteen beautiful works from Pintupi artists. Before becoming integral to the foundation of the Aboriginal Art...

Central Art has put together a striking exhibition featuring thirteen beautiful works from Pintupi artists.

Before becoming integral to the foundation of the Aboriginal Art movement from Papunya in the 1970s, the Pintupi were displaced from their country.

The Pintupi remain some of the most traditional people in Australia. Originally from the very remote western desert in the Lake Mackay region, the Pintupi were moved to the communities of Papunya, Hermannsburg and Haasts Bluff in the 1960s. At this time the Pintupi had very little experience of western culture, and were still living a very traditional lifestyle.

When the Papunya Tula Artists Cooperative was formed in the 1970s the many Pintupi in the Papunya community started painting and became prominent figures in the early Aboriginal Art movement. Pintupi women started to come into their own in the 1990s as they started using acrylics.

Pintupi artists paint the Tingari Cycle or Tingari Dreaming. This dreaming depicts the journey of the Tingari ancestors. The lines of these paintings represent the path of the journey and the circles represent the ceremonial sites. The Tingari Cycle is represented by bold contrasting colours and stark shapes. These works are incredibly powerful and expressive.

The exhibition features: