Walala Tjapaltjarri mainly paints square patterns that refer to stories from the Tingari Cycle, a collection of religious stories, ceremonies and laws transmitted to the inhabitants of the Western Desert by the Tingari. This was a group of mythical and spiritual beings who, according to the lore, passed through the landscape, performing rituals and shaping the landscape and different sacred places. Walala is widely praised as an adventurous and innovative artist. His work is characterized by a combination of traditional patterns and a degree of sophisticated abstraction. He has been praised by art critic Robert Hughes, including Walala in his series of BBC documentaries "Beyond the fatal shore" (2000).
Exhibited
'Interwoven Worlds', SmithDavidson Gallery X Wolterinck Laren, Laren, The Netherlands, 2025
Please note that all First Nations Art is created from a so called ‘Birds Eye’ view. This means that the paintings can be hung either horizontally as well as vertically.
SmithDavidson Gallery represents a wide range of Australian First Nations Art. Please contact us for additional information