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This painting depicts the travel of the Tingarri Men at the site of Ungama, south west of Kiwirrkurra. It is said that this knowledge gifted group of men travelled across the country. This painting shows patterns relating to these travels. A large group of Tingarri Men had gathered at this site to conduct ceremonies after which they travelled to Kiwirrkurra. The patterns in the painting represents rain filtering and washing its way to the soakage water site at Ungama, the line patterns represent Sandhill’s and the terrain in this area. Due to the sacred aspects in this dreaming no further information was given by the artist.
Ronnie
Jampitjinpa
The Pintupi men have a relaxed and simplified way of painting. Indeed, commenting on this in 1999, Clifford Possum Tjapltjarri, a Anmatyerre man, suggested that Pintupi art was too refined - too simplified. This was not meant as a criticism, in fact there was a great deal of respect implied. Ronnie Tjamitjinpa’s work is characteristic of the Pintupi, relying for its effectiveness on a repetition of forms, which are geometric, simple and bold. Other Pintupi painters who have a similar stylistic approach include Turkey Tolson (qv) and Mick Namarari . Pintupi homelands stretch well into Western Australia beyond the Northern Territory border and beyond the Kintore Ranges. Like many other families of their time, Ronnie’s relatives and forebears moved continuously across their territory living a traditional, nomadic way of life. Those traditions coupled with a deep knowledge of his land formed the basis of his art. Papuyna is situated 32km north of the
McDonnell Ranges and the government felt secure in their judgement that the
settlement would faclitate the assimilation of the desert people. Regular
supplies of food and bore water were the basic reasons why Pitupi,
Warlpiri, Luritja, Arrernte and Anmatyerre people agreed on an attempt to
co-exist in a situation, which was far from ideal. None of the tribes people
there were on traditional territory. Indeed Geoff Bardon, the resident
schoolteacher there in 1971-2, later described Papunya as an abysmal place where
alcohol, tribal jealousies and violence were rife. This was the situation in
which Ronnie Tjampitjinpa grew up. He commenced painting at Papunya in 1976 During the years between 1981 and 1999 Ronnie Tampitjinpa has remained one of the outstanding contributors to the Papunya Tula Pty Ltd Company. This organization had its beginnings in October 1971 when Geoff Bardon arranged the formation of the Papunya Artists’ Co-operative. The company was named in June 1972, after the smaller of two hills not far from Papunya. According to Bardon the name means ‘a meeting place for all brothers and cousins’. The name was acceptable to all the different Aboriginal groups involved in the decision and its ramifications. Ronnie’s contribution to the rapid flowering of desert art is not confined to the Aboriginal-owned company. His work has been shown in international exhibitions many times and he is represented in major private collections such as the Donald Khan Collection and the Kelton Foundation in the United States of America. He prospered as an artist during the late 1980’s winning the Alice Springs Art Prize in 1988. The following year he travelled to Melbourne for his first one-man show at the Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi. Subsequently he was included in 'Australian Perspecta 1993' at the Art Gallery of NSW. From 1993 Ronnie was Chairman of the Kintore Outstation Council, residing at his outstation at Redbank (Ininti). His work was displayed prominently in Sydney at the Jinta Gallery in 1998 in their ‘Pintupi Men’ exhibition. These successes have established him as one of the masters of desert art. He was there at the beginning and will continue to work strongly into this next century. Ronnie Tjampitjinpa is the personification of a linkage to the traditional ways and beliefs that certainly will be modified by the current generation of painters. Whilst his works may be regarded as ‘contemporary art’ in the great galleries of the world we should remember that his beliefs and background exemplify the ancient nature of his people. His is one of the last of the genuine desert nomads. Consequently his art takes on a meaning and importance well beyond the expectations aroused when we are confronted with visual art of our own Euro-centric culture. |
