THOMAS TJAPALTJARRI (TAMLIK) - Tingari

Thomas and his family were a group of nine family members who lived a traditional hunter gatherer life in the Gibson Desert until 1984. Named the ‘Pintupi Nine’,  ‘The Lost Tribe’ or the ‘The Last Nomads’ by the press they were not happy with being called the Lost Tribe as they were not lost, just separated from family who were relocated into existing aboriginal settlements away from the conducting missile testing in the Western Desert Area but the Pintupi Nine were overlooked. The Pintupi Nine consisted of two mothers, Nanyanu and Papalanyanu along with four brothers, Warlimpirrnga, Walala, Tamlik (Thomas) and Yari Yari and three sisters; Yardi, Yikultji and Tjakaria. Unfortunately, their father passed away.

Several years after emerging from the desert Thomas, Warlimpirrnga, Walala, Yukultji and Yalti started painting. Thomas paints Tingari Stories using traditional dot style to create simplistic geometric designs which is a technique shared with other Pintupi artists such as George Ward Jungurrayi. Aboriginal artists often create paintings that consist of multiple layers of meanings. Often those meanings are not shared with outsiders (the uninitiated). The Tingari Cycle from what we understand is a series of sacred and mythological ceremonies describing the journeys of their ancestors in Tjkurrpa (dreamtime).

Thomas’s works have been exhibited locally and internationally and can be found in private and public galleries world-wide.

This painting was purchased directly from Thomas and a gallery certificate of authenticity will be provided with the sale.