Bob Gibson Tjungarrayi was born at Papunya in 1974, before moving with his family to Tjukurla during the Papunya Tula
movement of the 1980s, where many Ngaanyatjarra people moved to be closer to their ancestral homelands. Bob’s mother
Mary Gibson, also a leading Tjarlirli artist, is from the country of Kulkurta, his father’s country was near Patjarr.
Bob paints using bold colours and an abstract freedom, expressing ancient stories with a contemporary style. Bob is a vibrant character who is well loved within his community and offers support to many family members.
Looking at a Bob Gibson painting feels a little like spending time with the artist himself. Bob’s bold, playful presence in the studio is contagious; each canvas brings wild shapes and expressive line met with decisive mark-making and confident realisation of country. His highly unique representations of tjukurpa are an intersection of traditional storytelling and a spirited contemporary artistic practice.