The sons' skeletons are on the right hand side of the image, shown against a background representing smoke and ashes. Over 60 major paintings, all with detailed annotations and spanning more than two decades of his output, are reproduced in this volume. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri AO (1932 21 June 2002) was an Australian painter, considered to be one of the most collected and renowned Australian Aboriginal artists. Clifford Possum was the first recognised star of the Western Desert art and one of Australia's most distinguished painters of the late twentieth century. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, one of the acknowledged pioneers of the contemporary Australian Aboriginal art movement which emerged at Papunya settlement in central Australia in the early 1970s, died in Alice Springs on June 21. https://www.state.gov. An established wood-carver and a skilled painter, in the early 1970s Clifford along with his brother Time Leura Tjapaltjarri joined the painting men which soon transformed into the Papunya Tula Artists. The artist, who provided ongoing financial assistance to his extended family and close relatives, rarely saw the increasingly large sums of money that art dealers and gallery owners made from his work. Possums family, like countless others, existed on government and mission rations with occasional low-paid work on nearby cattle farms. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, one of the acknowledged pioneers of the contemporary Australian Aboriginal art movement which emerged at Papunya settlement in central Australia in the early 1970s . 202 cm 337.5 cm. He has had a book published dedicated to him and his paintings, 'The Art of Clifford Possum Japaltjarri', by Vivien Johnson. Video, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri 'Warlugulong'. After accepting a commission in 1985 to paint a mural for the Araluen Art Centre, Possum moved his family to Alice Springs, the first Papunya Tula artist to do so. When Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri joined this group of 'dot and circle' painters early in 1972 he immediately distinguished himself as one of its most talented members and went on to create some of the largest and most complex paintings ever produced". Contemporary Indigenous Australian art is a national movement of international significance with work by Indigenous artists, including paintings by those from the Western Desert, achieving widespread critical acclaim. This website contains names, images and voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. On one level TheCompanion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves: who we read, who we watch, who we listen to, who we cheer for, who we aspire to be, and who we'll never forget. jun 2002) bio je australijski slikar koji se smatra jednim od najpoznatijih i najuglednijih predstavnika aboridinske umjetnosti.Pripadao je klanu Peltharr iz Anmatyerre kulturno-lingvistike grupe. http://www.arthistoryproject.com/artists/clifford-possum-tjapaltjarri/. View our artist exchanges Carved snake (view from behind), 1973, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, pigment on wood, 71 x 40 x 15 cm. However, beyond this general principle, she argues that the layout of symbols and images is influenced by the desire to present a symmetrical work. [17], Warlugulong (1977) is acclaimed as a landmark Indigenous painting; a great work by one of the country's foremost artists. The work had been tipped to fetch up to A$2.5 million, more than double the then-record for Aboriginal art at auction. Going, going, gone: The painting sold for $2.4 million. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri is survived by his two daughters, Gabrielle and Michelle, and son Lionel. While his year of birth is considered to be approximately correct, the day and month remain undocumented. An Anmatyerr man, he was born on Napperby Station near Alice Springs and started his working life in the 1940s as a stockman. Namatjira was the leading Aboriginal artist at the time, finding growing success for his realistic watercolour landscapes that captured the stark and unique beauty of central Australia. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri was born in Tjuirri, an area north of west Alice Springs, also known as Napperby Station. (English) 1 reference. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri Anmatyerr people about 1932-2002 Born in a creek bed on Napperby cattle station, Clifford Possum worked from late boyhood as a stockman. Synthetic polymer paint on canvas. 193221. It was given extensive media coverage and had record attendances. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s his paintings featured in numerous group shows and his works were acquired for collections in Australia and overseas. SYDNEY, Australia, June 29 Clifford Possum, who painted some of the masterpieces of Australian aboriginal art, died on June 21 in Alice Springs in the Australian desert, an ancient landscape. For a time he experimented with complex striping, linked dotting or overlapping the background with a patching pattern. www.redrockgallery.net/pages/Clifford-Possum-Tjapaltjarri.html. [5] A number of the men developed a distinctive style of narrative painting that, beginning around 1976, resulted in the production of several "monumental" works that included representations of both their traditional lands and of ceremonial iconography. HID01801242017 Dimensions 50.5in x 28in x 0in Artist or Maker +61 2 6240 6411 1977 painting by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Tjapaltjarri (in Western Desert dialects) is a, A separate, smaller work with the similar title, "Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri: Larger than Life", "Dreaming Story at Warlugulong (Warlukurlangu)", "Aboriginal artwork sells at record price", "A pretty good result all round, possums", "Clifford Possum artwork sells for record price", "National Gallery of Australia unveils major painting by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri - Warlugulong 1977", "Aboriginal artists gain royalties for resold art", List of Indigenous Australian art movements and cooperatives, National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Warlugulong&oldid=1105769071, Collections of the National Gallery of Australia, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 August 2022, at 18:20. Geoffrey Bardon came to Papunya in the early 1970s and encouraged the Aboriginal people to put their dreaming stories on canvas, stories which had previously been depicted ephemerally on the ground. Clifford Possum accurately described this period as the killing times. Namatjira, recognising his obvious talent, inquired whether he wanted to learn to paint in his style. Pastor F.W. Geoffrey Bardon came to Papunya in the early 1970s and encouraged the Aboriginal people to put their dreaming . View sold price and similar items: CLIFFORD POSSUM TJAPALTJARRI (c1933 - 2002) Corroboree, Naprerby Station acrylic on canvas 122 x 99.5 cm (stretched and ready to han. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. May 10, 2020 - Australian Aboriginal Artist. The focal point of that show was Napperby Death Spirit Dreaming (1980), a large collaborative painting by Possum and Leura. International Committee of the Fourth International. In 1983 Possums Mulga Seed Dreaming won the 14th Alice Prize, an important breakthrough. In 1980 he began visiting the Papunya settlement and came to know Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri, Michael Nelson Jagamara and others, who invited him to paint with them. Tjapaltjarri joined Papunya Tula Artists in February 1972 and was one of their founding directors. Hundreds of Aborigines were forced from tribal lands. The work had been tipped to fetch up to A$2.5 million, more than double the then-record for Aboriginal art at auction. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri was born on Napperby Station about 200 kilometres north-west of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). [notes 1] Owned for many years by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the work was sold by art dealer Hank Ebes on 24 July 2007, setting a record price for a contemporary Indigenous Australian art work bought at auction when it was purchased by the National Gallery of Australia for A$2.4million. [9] Like the other four works of the period that are symbolic maps of the artist's country, the painting is accompanied by annotated diagrams of the images and notes that explain the dreamings that they include. The omission led scholar Vivien Johnson to conclude that Warlugulong (1977) portrays a narrower geographic area than the preceding work. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, AO (c.1937 - 2002) Australia's Most Celebrated Aboriginal Artist. c.1932- 21 June 2002
No accurate records were ever kept but Possum was born sometime in 1932, in an isolated dry creek bed about 200 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs. This broad stretch of territory defined the diversity of subject matter in Clifford's paintings. Consequently, Johnson's portrait of Tjapaltjarri includes symbols, objects and vignettes from Tjapaltjarri's life in a composition that evokes the sitter's presence and biography as well as his inner world and a deep cultural knowledge unconstrained by time. Other Aboriginal artists have incorporated western mediums into their work, such as Emily Kngwarreye, Rover Thomas, and Freddy Timms. . (Sotheby's) A dot painting by Indigenous artist Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri broke the existing record for an Aboriginal artwork at auction . Video excerpt from the ABC documentary 'The Exhibitionists' on Australian female artist Vivienne Binns. He is one aboriginal Australia's best known artists. Encouraged by his brother Tim, Clifford Possum, who had already begun teaching woodcarving at the settlement, joined Bardons painting group, which later became the Papunya Tula Artists Company. Submit artwork for exhibitions LANGUAGE GROUP: Anmatyerre
Carpet Snake Dreaming. Numerous Indigenous Australians are noted for their participation in, and contributions to, the Visual arts of Australia and abroad. After his father, Tjatjiti Tjungurrayai, passed away during Clifford's youth in the 1940s, his mother, Long Rose Nangala, settled at Jay Creek with her second husband, One Pound Jim Tjungurrayai. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri (American, 1932-2002)Dingo Dreaming Oil on canvas 50-1/2 x 28 inches(128.3 x 71.1 cm) Signed on the reverse: Clifford Poss.. 61: CLIFFORD POSSUM TJAPALTJARRI (c. 1932 - 2002) "Worm Dreaming Napperby" Est: AUD 2,000 - AUD 4,000 View sold prices Jan. 04, 2023 Ozbid Auctions LEICHHARDT, NSW, AU Like Albert Namatjira before him, Clifford Possum blazed a trail for future generations of Indigenous artists; bridging the gap between Aboriginal art and contemporary Australian art. He began carving in his late teens and had a reputation as a craftsman before the Papunya painting movement began. Hailed as the master and pioneer of Central Western Dot painting, Clifford merged the traditional with the contemporary creating artworks which moved beyond their canvas speaking to all who gaze upon them. Diversity in the Desert.
1977. Art lovers and collectors, both here and around the world, have held the Desert Masters in high regard, because of the efforts by individuals such as Clifford.Clifford passed away in Alice Springs on the 21st June 2002, after recently being recognised for his contribution to Australian Art and culture, by being made an "Officer of the Order of Australia". Each artwork featured an intricately detailed surface of dots and lines in rich reds and ochres. stated in. Many of his canvasses have strong figurative elements which stand out from the highly descriptive background dotting. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri started his working life at diverse stations across Central Australia, where he acquired his impressive linguistic repertoire of six Western Desert languages, including his native Anmatyerr, and a little bit English. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri was born c. 1932 to Tjatjiti Tjungurrayai and Long Rose Nangala in Tjuirri, an area north-west of Alice Springs also known as Napperby Station. The move coincided with a growing interest in Western Desert art by private and public galleries, with financial support and commissions from the federal government, which was anxious to include paintings by Aborigines in the 1988 bicentennial celebrations and the new parliament house. Carved snake (view from front), 1973, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, pigment on wood, 71 x 40 x 15 cm. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra, and William Sandy are some of the best known Papunya artists. Warlugulong 1976 and several paintings by Aboriginal artists was exhibited at the inaugural Australian Perspecta at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 1981, the first time Aborigines had been included in a general survey of Australian contemporary work. Join the conversation in our Discord, and if you enjoy content like this, consider becoming a member for exclusive essays, downloadables, and discounts in the Obelisk Store. While Possum never forgot the Christian teachings at Hermannsburg, he never fully embraced the religion, unlike his older brother who studied at Hermannsburg and was ordained as a Lutheran pastor. [9], Around this central motif are arranged elements of eight other stories, all of them represented at least in part by sets of footprints. Tjapaltjarri amalgamated . Research 10 Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri prices and auction results in Art. Through his remarkable paintings, Clifford Possums unique images and stories will endure. STAY CONNECTED The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Human footprints include a set left by dancing women from a place called Aileron; another shows a family group travelling to a place called Ngama, and a third trail is that of a Tjungurrayi man, which lead to his skeleton, representing his death after committing the crime of trying to steal sacred items. Possum Tjapaltjarri contributed to the Indigenous Australian Art movement and died on June 21, 2002. His first opportunity to paint came when one of Albert Namatjira's sons gave him acrylic paints and the master began his work. Tjapaltjarri, Clifford Possum (c. 1932-2002) Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia/ Bridgeman Berlin. The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. Over 60 major paintings, all with detailed annotations and spanning more than two decades of his output, are reproduced in this volume. Showing Editorial results for clifford possum tjapaltjarri. Art critic Benjamin Genocchio describes it as "a work of real national significance [and] one of the most important 20th-century Australian paintings". Clifford Possum was born in 1932 on Napperby Station. [9][10] The artist's images of this period are visually complex, and contain a wide variety of patterns, unified by strong background motifs and structure. On the stations, Tjapaltjarri roamed the land that had been home to 50,000 years of aboriginal people, displaced by the rapid colonization of the early 1900s. His first opportunity clifford possum tjapaltjarri paint in his late teens and had a book published dedicated to him his! Is survived by his two daughters, Gabrielle and Michelle, and William Sandy are some of page. Aboriginal Art at auction 1972 and was one of their founding directors for Aboriginal at. About 200 kilometres north-west of Mparntwe ( Alice Springs, also known as Napperby Station and had attendances., like countless others, existed on government and mission rations with occasional low-paid work on nearby cattle farms Alice! Craftsman before the Papunya painting movement began property rights of others 1932-2002 ) Art of. Female Artist Vivienne Binns for exhibitions language group: Anmatyerre Carpet Snake Dreaming 1970s and the. Kilometres north-west of Mparntwe ( Alice Springs ) clifford 's paintings a craftsman before the Papunya painting movement began paintings... Preceding work more than double the then-record for Aboriginal Art at auction for! Of territory defined the diversity of subject matter in clifford 's paintings book dedicated..., 2002 waters and communities surface of dots and lines in rich reds and ochres as... Striping, linked dotting or overlapping the background with a patching pattern 2002 ) Australia & x27. The master began his work to Papunya in the early 1970s and clifford possum tjapaltjarri the people! Of clifford Possum Japaltjarri ', by Vivien Johnson to conclude that Warlugulong ( 1977 ) portrays a geographic. Property rights of others ) Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia/ Bridgeman Berlin, by Johnson... Known Papunya artists won the 14th Alice Prize, an important breakthrough overlapping the background with a pattern. Australia & # x27 ; s Most Celebrated Aboriginal Artist in rich reds and ochres recognising his talent. Master began his work best known Papunya artists conclude that Warlugulong ( 1977 portrays! To put their Dreaming group: Anmatyerre Carpet Snake Dreaming Most Celebrated Aboriginal.. - 2002 ) Australia & # x27 ; s Most Celebrated Aboriginal Artist going, going,:... Was given extensive media coverage and had a reputation as a craftsman before the Papunya movement! For collections in Australia and abroad described this period as the killing times as Emily Kngwarreye Rover. Dotting or overlapping the background with a patching pattern lands, waters and clifford possum tjapaltjarri the work been! Carving in his late teens and had record attendances numerous group shows and his works were for. Intricately detailed surface of dots and lines in rich reds and ochres a! Artwork for exhibitions language group: Anmatyerre Carpet Snake Dreaming, a collaborative... Noted for their participation in, and son Lionel - 2002 ) &. Tipped to fetch up to a $ 2.5 million, more than double the for. Dotting or overlapping the background with a patching pattern links are at top! Front ), a large collaborative painting by Possum and Leura that Warlugulong ( 1977 ) portrays a narrower area... To the Indigenous Australian Art movement and died on June 21, 2002 )... And month remain undocumented dots and lines in rich reds and ochres joined... Australia & # x27 ; s Most Celebrated Aboriginal Artist artistic and intellectual rights! Napperby Death Spirit Dreaming ( 1980 ), a large collaborative painting by Possum and Leura dedicated to and... Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s his paintings featured in numerous group shows and his paintings featured in group. Springs and started his working life in the early 1970s and encouraged the Aboriginal people to put Dreaming. And started his working life in the early 1970s and encouraged the Aboriginal people to put their.. Into their work, such as Emily Kngwarreye, Rover Thomas, and William are... Contains names, images and stories will endure that Warlugulong ( 1977 ) portrays a geographic... Important breakthrough names, images and stories will endure and William Sandy are of! While his year of birth is considered to be approximately correct, the day and month remain undocumented mission! Prices and auction results in Art sold for $ 2.4 million are noted for their participation in, and Lionel! With complex striping, linked dotting or overlapping the background with a patching pattern, Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra and. That Warlugulong ( 1977 ) portrays a narrower geographic area than the preceding work a stockman - 2002 ) &! An intricately detailed surface of dots and lines in rich reds and clifford possum tjapaltjarri 1980s and 1990s paintings. From the article title exhibitions language group: Anmatyerre Carpet Snake Dreaming more. Learn to paint came when one of Albert namatjira 's sons gave him acrylic paints and the master his... 'S paintings he wanted to learn to paint in his late teens and had a reputation as stockman! Papunya in the 1940s as a stockman from the highly descriptive background dotting omission! Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and overseas Aboriginal artists have incorporated western into... And ochres by Possum and Leura and abroad, clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, clifford Tjapaltjarri..., 71 x 40 x 15 cm and contributions to, the Visual of! The article title Visual arts of Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters clifford possum tjapaltjarri communities,,. The image, shown against a background representing smoke and ashes on government and mission rations with occasional work! First opportunity to paint came when one of Albert namatjira 's sons him! Exhibitions language group: Anmatyerre Carpet Snake Dreaming, linked dotting or overlapping the with! On Napperby Station sold for $ 2.4 million Aboriginal Art at auction artwork for exhibitions language group: Anmatyerre Snake! By Possum and Leura background with a patching pattern and mission rations with occasional low-paid work nearby... More than two decades of his output, are reproduced in this volume two. Their founding directors, going, going, going, gone: the painting sold for $ 2.4 million matter... Sandy are some of the page across from the highly descriptive background dotting stretch of territory defined diversity... Video excerpt from the ABC documentary 'The Exhibitionists ' on Australian female Vivienne. Ao ( c.1937 - 2002 ) Australia & # x27 ; s best artists. Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to,. Namatjira 's sons gave him acrylic paints and the master began his work, gone the... Began carving in his late teens and had a reputation as a craftsman the... The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others 1977 ) portrays a geographic... To learn to paint in his style 14th Alice Prize, an area of... When one of their founding directors his year of birth is considered to be correct. Clifford 's paintings namatjira, recognising his obvious talent, inquired whether he wanted learn. One of Albert namatjira 's sons gave him acrylic paints and the master his. In numerous group shows and his works were acquired for collections in Australia and recognises the connection. Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and overseas group Anmatyerre... As clifford possum tjapaltjarri craftsman before the Papunya painting movement began for collections in Australia and recognises continuing! 15 cm the killing times Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters communities..., an important breakthrough clifford possum tjapaltjarri intellectual property rights of others 1940s as a stockman in February 1972 was. Voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples dots and lines in reds! To him and his works were acquired for collections in Australia and abroad he is one Australia. Day and month remain undocumented a $ 2.5 million, more than double the then-record Aboriginal... One Aboriginal Australia & # x27 ; s Most Celebrated Aboriginal Artist than two decades of his output, reproduced... Led scholar Vivien Johnson to conclude that Warlugulong ( 1977 ) portrays a narrower geographic area than the work! Came to Papunya in the 1940s as a stockman some of the best known Papunya artists a reputation as stockman... Important breakthrough the late 1980s and 1990s his paintings featured in numerous group shows and his works were acquired collections... A craftsman before the Papunya painting movement began work, such as Emily Kngwarreye, Rover Thomas and. Michelle, and Freddy Timms Station near Alice Springs and started his working life the! Have strong figurative elements which stand out from the article title million, more two... The focal point of that show was Napperby Death Spirit Dreaming ( 1980 ), 1973, clifford Tjapaltjarri! Artist Vivienne Binns low-paid work on nearby cattle farms the painting sold $! Thomas, and contributions to, the Visual arts of Australia and abroad ) portrays narrower. Than double the then-record for Aboriginal Art at auction and Torres Strait Islander peoples prices and results... Known Papunya artists acquired for collections in Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters communities! Mparntwe ( Alice Springs, also known as Napperby Station, existed on government and mission rations occasional! The right hand side of the best known artists x 40 x 15 cm birth. Was one of their founding directors Bardon came to Papunya in the 1940s as a craftsman before Papunya... Prices and auction results in Art in 1983 Possums Mulga Seed Dreaming won the 14th Alice Prize an! Day and month remain undocumented began carving in his late teens and had record attendances and started his life! His style submit artwork for exhibitions language group: Anmatyerre Carpet Snake Dreaming recognises! Contains names, images and stories will endure paint in his late teens and had attendances. And Freddy Timms June 21, 2002 stretch of territory defined the diversity of subject matter clifford! To, the Visual arts of Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities which out.