Walala Tjapaltjari 1960
Lives in Kiwikurra, Australia. Works in Kiwikurra, Australia.
Guest at:
SmithDavidson Gallery
guest
Late 1984, the international headlines were filled with the ’discovery’ of this last group of Australian First Nations who until the late 20th century had managed to retain their traditional lifestyle in complete isolation. These so-called ’last of the nomads’ or ‘lost tribe’ of nine Pintupi walked in from the bush west of Lake Owen that year and for the first time came into contact with western civilization. Six of these nine men became artist. One of them was Walala Tjapaltjarri.
Walala was born around 1960 and his work consists primarily of square patterns that refer to different stories from the traditional Tingari story cycle. Walala often paints triptychs on which he depicts the holy places from the Dream Time (time of creation). These holy places are spread over the countryside west of Lake Makaay, including Mina Mina salt lake. In some of his works he also shows the initiation rituals of his Tingari ancestors that were held in the Gibson Desert.
In his most impressive work he uses a limited palette of blacks and whites with red or yellow ochres. Walala is widely praised as an innovative and adventurous artist. His work is characterized by a combination of traditional patterns and a high degree of refined abstraction.
Visit our website smith-davidson.com for more information.
Walala was born around 1960 and his work consists primarily of square patterns that refer to different stories from the traditional Tingari story cycle. Walala often paints triptychs on which he depicts the holy places from the Dream Time (time of creation). These holy places are spread over the countryside west of Lake Makaay, including Mina Mina salt lake. In some of his works he also shows the initiation rituals of his Tingari ancestors that were held in the Gibson Desert.
In his most impressive work he uses a limited palette of blacks and whites with red or yellow ochres. Walala is widely praised as an innovative and adventurous artist. His work is characterized by a combination of traditional patterns and a high degree of refined abstraction.
Visit our website smith-davidson.com for more information.
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Artworks by Walala Tjapaltjari
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In museum collection:
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Market position
Walala Tjapaltjarri was praised by art critic Robert Hughes (Time Magazine), among others, and included in his BBC documentary series Beyond the Fatal Shore (2000). His work has been exhibited at institutions such as the Fondation Opale in Switzerland and Wolterinck Laren in the Netherlands. His paintings are also included in many public and private collections worldwide, such as of the Fondation Burkhardt-Felder Arts et Culture in Switzerland. With SmithDavidson Gallery, Walala's work was shown at various art fairs, such as Art Cologne and PAN Amsterdam. Walala was the finalist for the Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award from the years 1997-2000.
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Selected Collections:
AMP Investments Australia, Sydney, Australia
Gantner Myer Aboriginal Art Collection CNC International Corporation, Sydney, Australia
Axiom Funds Management, Sydney, Australia
Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, Perth, Australia
El Paso Energy International Co, Houston, USA
Epic Energy Australia, Brisbane, Australia
Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
Hastings Funds Management, Melbourne, Australia
Kaplan & Levi Collection, Seattle, USA
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
The Kelton Foundation, Santa Monica, USA
Hank Ebes Collection, Melbourne, Australia
Corrigan Collection, Sydney, Australia
Luciano Benetton Collection, Venice, Italy
Fondation Burkhardt-Felder Arts et Culture, Motiers, Switzerland
Artbank, Australia-wide collection, managed by the Australian Government
Selected exhibitions
2025 - 'Interwoven Worlds', SmithDavidson Gallery X Wolterinck Laren, Laren, The Netherlands
2023 - 'INTERSTELLAIRE', Fondation Opale, Lens/Crans-Montana, Switzerland
2020 - Solo: 'Walala Tjapaltjarri Autoportrait', Fondation Opale, Lens, Switzerland
2019 - Solo: 'Walala Tjapaltjarri Self-portrait', Fondation Opale, Lens, Switzerland
2010 - 'Lost Tribe', Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2000 - 'The Art of Place Exhibition', Australian Heritage Commission, National Tour, Australia
2000 - 'My Country - Journeys of our Ancestors', Ancient Earth Indigenous Art, Cairns, Australia
2000 - 'Landmarks Exhibition', Dar Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane, Australia
2000 - Fifth National Indigenous Heritage Art Award, Australian Heritage Commission, Canberra, Australia
2000 - Melbourne ArtFair, Melbourne, Australia
1999 - 'Spirit Country,' The California Palace of the Legion of Honour, San Francisco, U.S.A.
1999 - 'Painting the Desert' Alliance Francaise de Canberra and the French Embassy, Canberra, Australia
AMP Investments Australia, Sydney, Australia
Gantner Myer Aboriginal Art Collection CNC International Corporation, Sydney, Australia
Axiom Funds Management, Sydney, Australia
Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, Perth, Australia
El Paso Energy International Co, Houston, USA
Epic Energy Australia, Brisbane, Australia
Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
Hastings Funds Management, Melbourne, Australia
Kaplan & Levi Collection, Seattle, USA
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
The Kelton Foundation, Santa Monica, USA
Hank Ebes Collection, Melbourne, Australia
Corrigan Collection, Sydney, Australia
Luciano Benetton Collection, Venice, Italy
Fondation Burkhardt-Felder Arts et Culture, Motiers, Switzerland
Artbank, Australia-wide collection, managed by the Australian Government
Selected exhibitions
2025 - 'Interwoven Worlds', SmithDavidson Gallery X Wolterinck Laren, Laren, The Netherlands
2023 - 'INTERSTELLAIRE', Fondation Opale, Lens/Crans-Montana, Switzerland
2020 - Solo: 'Walala Tjapaltjarri Autoportrait', Fondation Opale, Lens, Switzerland
2019 - Solo: 'Walala Tjapaltjarri Self-portrait', Fondation Opale, Lens, Switzerland
2010 - 'Lost Tribe', Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2000 - 'The Art of Place Exhibition', Australian Heritage Commission, National Tour, Australia
2000 - 'My Country - Journeys of our Ancestors', Ancient Earth Indigenous Art, Cairns, Australia
2000 - 'Landmarks Exhibition', Dar Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane, Australia
2000 - Fifth National Indigenous Heritage Art Award, Australian Heritage Commission, Canberra, Australia
2000 - Melbourne ArtFair, Melbourne, Australia
1999 - 'Spirit Country,' The California Palace of the Legion of Honour, San Francisco, U.S.A.
1999 - 'Painting the Desert' Alliance Francaise de Canberra and the French Embassy, Canberra, Australia
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