Dianne Robinson

Australian Aboriginal Contemporary Art by Dianne Robinson

2013

Michael Nelson Tjakamarra (also cited as: Michael Nelson Jagamarra, or Jakamara) is a Senior Warlpiri Tribesman and an Elder of the Papunya Community in central Australia. Born c. 1949 at Pikilyi, Vaughan Springs west of Yuendumu in the Northern Territory, he grew up ‘in the bush’. His father was an important tribal elder and medicine man at Yuendumu. It was therefore automatic that he would grow up with the traditional values and knowledge that now influences his paintings. Michael lived at Haasts Bluff until his parents took him to Yuendumu for European education at the mission school. He left school at thirteen, after initiation, and worked at buffalo shooting, driving trucks, droving cattle and in the army, before returning to Yuendumu and then to Papunya to settle in 1976. He worked for a time in the Government store and for the Council. Michael learned to paint at Papunya by observing the senior men such as Billy Stockman and Old Mick Tjakamarra. Although he was tutored by his uncle, Jack Tjupurrula, Michael developed his own style and began painting earnestly from 1983. Michael is known as master desert painter for his depiction of several Dreamings in one painting. For him the understanding of the Dreaming stories that go with his paintings is all important – without the stories his paintings would ‘mean nothing’ as far as he is concerned. His Dreamings include the Possum, Snake, Two Kangaroos, Rock Wallaby, Bush Banana, Honey Ant and Yam. In 1984 Michael won the National Aboriginal Art Award with his painting ‘Three Dreamings’. His reputation as a painter rose rapidly after this. He exhibited his work in the 1986 Biennale of Sydney and featured in ‘The State of the Art’, a British art documentary. In 1987 Michael had been asked to paint a major work (27’long) to decorate the foyer of Sydney’s Opera House and he chose to paint his ‘Possum Dreaming’ story. A great highlight in Michael’s career was in 1988 when he was commissioned to design a 196 sq-metre mosaic in the main forecourt of Australia’s new Parliament House in Canberra. The work was based on his ‘Kangaroo and Emu’ dreaming. Michael was presented to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11...

Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula 1925 - 2001 Born : Mintjilpirri, Kintore, NT Language group : Pintupi/Warlpiri Community : Papunya, NT Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula was born in 1925 at ...

A large aboriginal painting by Ningura Napurrula (1938-2013). Title: "Rockhole Site of Wirrulnga" Artists: Ningura Napurrula (Australian Aboriginal, c.1938-2013) Birthplace: Watul...

Sandy Hunter Petyarre painting "Men's Dreaming," 1996. Dimensions: 125 x 75 cm. Group Anmatyerre - Utopia - Central Desert. Sandy Hunter Petyarre was born in 1953. She is one o...

Tjumpo Tjapanangka (c. 1930–2007) Size: 80x120 cm Year: 1998 Acrylic on canvas Aboriginal Art Major Aboriginal Artist of Balgo – Western Desert Tjumpo Tjapanangka (c. 1930–2007) is...

A striking abstract painting by Australian Aboriginal painter Walangkura Napanangka (1940-2014), one of the matching pair painted in 2007 in Alice Spring. Entitled "Kutungka", acrylic on Belgium linen, inscribed on reverse with gallery catalog no. "Kutungka" depicts the landscape of a country where an old woman named "Kutungka" travelled from Malparingya to Kaltarra in Western Desert during the Dreamtime creation. The highly abstract forms are the dreamtime memory of the land features, such as rock piles and waterholes. Provenance: Grasstree Gallery, Australia. It comes with a COA from the gallery as well as progressive photos taken during the creation of this painting by the artist in 2007. Brief biography From Australian Art Gallery...

A stunning abstract painting by Australian Aboriginal artist Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa (also known as Mrs. Bennett; 1935-2013). Acrylic on Belgium Linen and painted in 2006. Untitled, t...

Colourful Abstract Tribal Aboriginal Inspired Oil on Canvas in Portrait Format 25 x 48 inches (unframed) Original, Oil on Canvas, Signed This captivating large-scale abstract sho...

Dorothy Napangardi was one of the leading Australian Aboriginal artists who has had her work hung at museums around the world. On the verso of this ...

A large and stunning contemporary abstract painting by celebrated Australian Aboriginal artist Naata Nungurrayi (1932-2021), stretched and ready for display. A rare masterpiece of the museum quality dating from the peak of the artist's creative output in 2003. The canvas is singular in both the impressive size and tine quality, and it comes with full provenance and step by step photos (100 in total) recording the creation of this significant piece of work. The artist used fine dots as the sole element to compose a complex dreamtime landscape where Women's Ceremony took place in her ancestral time. The place is located at Marrapinti and its surrounds, where many water soakage holes were located. Dots in brilliant shifting and contrasting colors form ceremonial Tingari symbols performed by the women, black crawling tracks that may be associated with a site called Karilywarra (two carpet snakes) and mesmerizing Tali (sandhill) movements surrounding the canvas. The work is of the signature style of the artist, singular and easily recognizable. The fine quality of this work is exemplary. Medium: acrylic on Belgium Linen Cat no. NN200315 Provenance: Yanda Aboriginal Art, NT. The painting comes with a COA letter and an artist biograph issued by Yanda Aboriginal Art and a presentation album with 100 photos that documented the entire process of the creation of this large work of art. The edge of the painting bears name of the artist as well as the stamp of the gallery as shown. Reference and further reading: For a relevant work by the artist, See Plate 88 and Page 220-222 in the book "Past and Present Together: Fifty Years of Papunya Tula Artists" by Meyers and Skerritt. Another similar work is illustrated on plate 13 in "Pintupi" by Hamiltons. Artist's biography: Naata Nungurrayi (1932-2021) is an Australian Aboriginal artist who was born at the site of Kumil, west of the Pollock Hills in Western Australia. She is from the Pintupi group from Kintore, Northern Territory and is one of the senior elders of the Kintore women artist movement. Naata is the sister of George Tjungurrayi and Nancy Nungurrayi, and her son is Kenny Williams Tjampitjinpa...