Bobby West Tjupurrula
PROJECT
These stainless-steel kutitji (shields) take their title from a sacred rock hole and soakage site that is central to the epic and closely guarded Tingari song cycle, Ancestral knowledges connected to Pintupi Country. The kutitji convey the artist’s Tjukurrpa (Ancestral knowledges) while simultaneously honouring Ancestral strength and survival, past, present and future. The linear patterning incised across the surface of each kutitji reflects the tali (sandhills) that stretch across the artist’s Ancestral homelands. The forms of these works recall ceremonial kutitji that are also used for protection, while their rippling steel surfaces reflect the movement of dancers by firelight.
The acquisition of this artist’s work is supported by Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM and Family
ABOUT
Bobby West Tjupurrula is a renowned Pintupi artist and cultural leader and the son of founding Papunya Tula Artists Pty Ltd shareholder Freddy West Tjakamarra. Born at the sacred rock hole site of Tjamu Tjamu, east of Kiwirrkura, West began his now expansive contemporary painting practice with Papunya Tula Artists in the late 1980s, developing a distinctive style and approach dedicated to depicting his father’s Country through highly detailed and refined rendered works. Through his expansive compositions, West articulates sophisticated ceremonial knowledge gained through lived experience, as well as his deep connection to his ancestral Pintupi lands. In addition to West’s continually evolving artistic practice, he has held an integral position as Chairman of Papunya Tula Artists, on several occasions providing crucial cultural and administrative leadership. West’s work has featured in significant national and international solo exhibitions including at William Mora Galleries, Melbourne, in 2002. His work is represented in numerous local and global collections including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Hood Museum of Art, Kluge Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, and the National Gallery of Victoria, as well as various private collections.