Walala Tjapaltjarri Tingari Cycle Painting Australian Aboriginal Art

Walala Tjapaltjarri Large Tingari Cycle Painting

1500 x 900

Walala Tjapaltjarri

Walala  began painting in December 1987, a few years after settling at Kiwirrkurra. He was introduced to painting by  Warlimpirrnga .He taught Tjapaltjarri about using paints and canvas. Tjapaltjarri joined the Papunya artists, and he, Thomas  and Warlimpirrnga eventually gained fame internationally as the Tjapaltjarri Brothers. Although he normally paints using Tjapaltjarri as a Tjapaltjarri , Tjapaltjarri’s skin name is Tjapangati.

His paintings depict scenes from the Tingari cycle (sacred and secret songs about the ancestors  of the Pintupi).  The places he depicts in his paintings are part of his traditional country, including Marruwa, Mintarnpi, Wanapatangu, Mina Mina, Naami, Yarrawangu and Wilkinkarra Lake Mackay ,  These were places where the ancestors stopped for ceremonies when travelling across the country.

Tjapaltjarri uses acrylic paints on Canvas  His early work was in the flowing “dot” style of painting typical of the Papunya Tula artists. His style became different during the late 1990s, and began to paint rigid rectangles  replacing dotted lines with thick, solid lines.

His first exhibitionwas in 1997, for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award in Darwin . Most of his work is shown in exhibitions alongside the works of other Aboriginal artists. He has paintings in many permanent collections in Australia, Europe and the United States. Tjapaltjarri paints the most out of the three Tjapaltjarri brothers.

Stretched Canvas