Thomas Tjapaltjarri and Walala collaboration Tingari Painting.Australian Aboriginal Art.Last Tribe

Thomas & Walala Tjapaltjarri – Tingari Painting Collaboration

📌 Australian Aboriginal Art | The Last Tribe | Enquire Today

Rare & Large Tingari Collaboration Painting

🎨 Acrylic on Canvas
📏 220cm x 150cm

The Story Behind the Artists

Thomas Tjapaltjarri (1960s – 2024) and Walala Tjapaltjarri were part of the renowned Pintupi Nine, a group of Indigenous Australians who lived a traditional nomadic lifestyle until 1984. That year, they walked out of the Gibson Desert in Western Australia, making contact with modern society for the first time. Their emergence made international headlines, earning them the title “The Last Tribe.”

Until that moment, Thomas, Walala, and their family survived as hunter-gatherers, relying on an intimate knowledge of the land, waterholes, and seasonal bush foods. They remained undiscovered for decades, avoiding detection by walking on spinifex clumps around Lake MacKay, a vast salt lake that was once an inland sea.

The Art of the Tingari Cycle

Thomas and Walala’s paintings depict the Tingari Cycle, a sacred series of mythological stories tied to their Dreaming sites. Their bold geometric compositions feature rectangular forms, intricate dot work, and striking monochrome contrasts, representing their sacred landscape. These locations—Wilkinkarra, Marau, Tarrku, Njami, and Yarrawangu—include significant rockholes, sandhills, and ceremonial sites.

While Thomas was inspired to paint by his brother Warlimpirrnga, he quickly developed his own distinctive style. Walala, too, evolved from classical Pintupi body and ground painting traditions to a highly graphic, contemporary aesthetic. Their collaboration results in some of the most sought-after works in contemporary Aboriginal art.

Honoring Thomas Tjapaltjarri (1960s – 2024)

Thomas passed away in 2024, leaving behind a rich artistic legacy. His work remains a testament to the unbroken cultural traditions of the Pintupi people, stretching back tens of thousands of years. His paintings are held in major collections worldwide, ensuring that his stories and heritage endure for generations to come.

📩 Enquire today about this rare and collectible Tingari collaboration.