Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula
Luritja people NT c.1925-2001
Tingari Cycle of Dreamtime 1987
Acrylic on linen
213.5 x 235 cm
BCEC Art Collection
Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula was born in Minjirrpirri, north-west of Ilpilli. This is his ‘Country’ and from sites like Tjikarri and Kalipinpa within this area comes the inspiration for many of his works.
He lived a traditional lifestyle through his younger, foundational years, recalling his first, frightened contact with Europeans; as a boy he hid from a plane which his people took for a ‘mamu’ or devil. He remains one of the most celebrated artists of the Western Desert painting movement.
The subject matter of this painting has been taken from the Tingari cycle. A large group of Tingari men are shown encamped at Tjikarri, north of Kintore. The concentric circles represent the Tingari while the background patterns indicate men’s ceremonial body paint designs.
Tingari Cycle of Dreamtime can be viewed in Plaza Gallery.