Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Papunya Tula Art
In 1971 an event took place that would challenge nonindigenous perceptions about indi-
genous art. At the remote government-established community of Papunya, 240km north-
west of Alice Springs, a group of senior men from the community - led by Kaapa Mbit-
jana Tjampitjinpa (Anmatyerre/Arrernte people; 1925-89), along with Long Jack Phil-
lipus Tjakamarra (Pintupi/Luritja/Warlpiri people) and Billy Stockman Tjapaltjarri (An-
matyerre people), all elders of the community and employed as groundsmen at the Pa-
punya school - were encouraged to paint a mural on one of the school's external walls by
art teacher Geoffrey Bardon (1940-2003), who was instrumental in the genesis of the Pa-
punya Tula Artists movement. Shortly after painting commenced, other members of the
community became enthused by the project and joined in creating the mural
Honey Ant
Dreaming
. Government regulations later saw the mural destroyed, but its effect on the
community was profound. Images of spiritual significance had taken on a permanent and
very public form. Notwithstanding the debate the mural caused at Papunya, other mem-
bers of the community expressed a desire to paint. Initially the paintings were executed
on smallish boards, but within a short time larger canvases were used.
Although indigenous artists were working in other regions throughout the country, this
fraught beginning in a remote Aboriginal community arguably instigated the commence-
ment of the contemporary indigenous art movement in Australia. That it developed in Pa-
punya is not without irony, since the community was established in 1960 under the aus-
pices of the Australian government's cultural assimilation policy.
In the four decades since the genesis of Papunya Tula Art a diversity of contemporary
visual art and culture has blossomed across the Northern Territory and South Australia,
with myriad art centres being established to represent the breadth of this creativity, sup-
ported by advocacy organisations, state and territory public art museums, and commer-
cial galleries.
With the growing importance of art as both an economic and a cultural activity, an as-
sociation was formed to help the artists from Papunya community sell their work. Papun-
ya Tula Artists Pty Ltd in Alice Springs is the longest-running Aboriginal-owned and -
directed gallery in the country, and operates from a stylish contemporary gallery space in
Todd Mall, Alice Springs.
DJAMBAWA MARAWILI AM
Djambawa Marawili, a senior leader of the Madarrpa clan, received the Order of
Australia medal in 2010 for service to the arts as a sculptor and painter, to the pre-
servation of indigenous culture, to arts administration, and as a mentor of emer-
