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Anatjari Tjakamarra (c. 1930–1992) was a Central Australian Aboriginal artist who was part of the Papunya Tula art movement. He was born in the area of Kulkuta in Pintupi country.[1][2] Tjakamarra was known to be a well-respected man and ritual leader with a gift in the arts.[3]

Biography

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Anatjari Tjakamarra who also went by Yanyatjarri or Anitjarri no.3 was a Pintupi man born sometime around the 1930s from the area of Kulkuta, southeast of Kiwirrkura in Western Australia.[1][4][5] It was known to be one of the most isolated areas in Central Australia and he was known to be one of the last people to leave the land.[6] [2] Tjakamarra not only identified himself as a Pintupi speaker but he was also close to those that spoke the Ngaatjatjarra language and identified himself with this group as well.[4]

When Tjakamarra was in his late twenties he already had two daughters and two wives, and he didn't come into contact with the modern world until he was somewhere in his late thirties.[7][3] He came to Papunya in the early 1966 from the Western Desert (relocated by the Weapons Research Establishment).[8]Papunya had been established in the 1960s and was home to the Pintupi people after living semi-nomadic lives. He was working in Papunya as a school gardener when Geoffrey Bardon began encouraging the men to paint using western style materials in the early 1970s. This caused a major development in Australian art.[9] In the early 1970s, during his early painting period, Tjakamarra's main political and personal goal was to visit Yawalyurru (a Tingarri site) and protect it from mining exploration.[10] In 1971, he became part of the original Papunya painters.[6] Tjakamarra was most active in his paintings from around 1973-1975.[4]

He left Papunya at the start of the outstation movement, establishing in Tjukula in Western Australia, southeast of his birthplace and near the Northern Territory border. He stayed there for much of the 1980s and sold his paintings independently. In 1987 he made the journey to Yawalyurru with officers and other Pintupi men. This journey had last six days in the desert which was accompanied with hot weather, and they didn't have enough water. During this journey they also faced vehicle problems which made it difficult.[3] In the late 1980s, he had returned close to his birthplace in Kiwirruka and began to work for the Papunya painters. Besides working on paintings Tjakamarra was involved in maintenance work.[2]

After five years of being in Papunya, Tjakamarra was one of the first artists to paint with acrylics and was able to adapt to the new use of the medium quickly.[3] Anatjari's paintings were known to tell Tingari stories.[2] These stories consisted of two characters represented both in human and animal form who traveled the desert and created sacred sites.[11]Throughout his works he was able to keep a sense of his traditional artistic roots and because of the development of his compositions, it impacted contemporary art worldwide. His works also incorporated ritual imagery. [12] This characteristic has been a mystery style of art that has been built on for more than thousands of years. [13] His art skills consisted of careful draftsmanship and precision; his works had plenty of details.[10] Painting was an outlet for Tjakamarra as he didn't have much knowledge and at the time desired to return to his homeland but couldn't because of the many difficulties.[3]

Anatjari spoke very little English and when he spoke about his artworks, he didn't give much detail in his explanations.[10] Anatjari Tjakamarra had passed away in the year 1992.

Artworks

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Man Dreaming Shield, 1972, Painting

In this piece, circles that were in the center represented a water filled rock hole and the diagonal lines had represented sacred objects decorated by Tingarri men which were then later stolen.[6]

A Cave Dreaming, 1972, Painting

In this Painting, Anatjari uses the colors black, white, and red which gives his painting a sharp and clear composition, this technique is known to be a key feature throughout his works. [13]

Pakarangura, 1972, synthetic polymer powder painting

In Pakarangura, a water hole is presented in the middle along with a cave that has black, white, and red lines forming water tjuringa. The presence of the water, cave and tjuringa represents the ritual importance of water dreaming. [14]

Possum Ancestors, 1975, Acrylic painting

The imagery in this piece is connected to the belief of Tjkumpa ,or also known as "dreaming". Through this belief people believed to be connected to ancestors and also their land. The painting tells a story about two bodies that are half possum and half human who have eloped even though it goes against their people's marriage roles, eventually ending in havoc.[9]

Yarranyanga, 1989, Acrylic painting

Yarranyanga tells the story of an ancestral allusion happening near rock holes. Once again Anatjari uses the same few colors in his painting and it's a very detailed painting with a stippled background and black and white circles painted with close precision.

Untitled, Body Paint for Initiation, 1972

Created by Tjakamarra during his early years in the Papunya movement, this piece was based on initiation ceremonies where designs were painted onto men and these designs reflected those worn by a ritual leader.[11]

Exhibitions

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After settling at Kiwirrkura late in the decade, he began working through Papunya Tula Pty Ltd. He had his first solo exhibition at Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi in 1989, and another in the same year at the John Weber Gallery in New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired his painting Tingari Dreaming Cycle[15] in the early 1990s;[16] this was the first purchased work of contemporary Aboriginal artwork.[6]

Collections

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Tjakamarra's work is held in most major Australian collections,[17] including the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT),[18] the Art Gallery of South Australia (one work),[19] the National Gallery of Victoria,[20] and the Art Gallery of New South Wales (2 works).[21]

The National Gallery of Victoria has three works by Anatjari Tjakamarra's including Big Pintupi Dreaming Ceremony (1972), Kurlkurta (1990), and Women's Dreaming at Tjukula (1991). [22]

The National Gallery of Australia has one work by Anatjari Tjakamarra which is Emu Story (1972).[23]

Achievements

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First solo exhibition in New York of 1989 by Metropolitan Museum of Art, the museum purchased one of Anatjari Tjakamarra's paintings, making it the first western desert painting to be featured in a collection of contemporary art.[7]

In 1995 one of Tjakamarra's earliest paintings was purchased for what was at the time a record of $75,000.[4]

Anatjari Tjakamarra is one of the best-known artists in Aboriginal art.[24]

See also

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ANATJARI TJAKAMARRA, CIRCA 1930-1992 YARRANYANGA 1989[1]

Papunya Tula

Tingari

Dreaming (Australian Aboriginal art)

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Anatjari Tjakamarra [2]

Emu story [3]

Anatjari Tjakamarra Biography[4]

Blue-tongue lizard Dreaming at Lungkatanya (a piece by Tjakamarra) [5]

References

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  1. ^ a b Perkins, Hetti; Fink, Hannah (2000), Papunya Tula : genesis and genius, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales in association with Papunya Tula artists, ISBN 978-0-7347-6310-5
  2. ^ a b c d "Anatjari Tjakamarra :: biography at :: at Design and Art Australia Online". www.daao.org.au. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  3. ^ a b c d e corporateName=National Museum of Australia; address=Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula. "National Museum of Australia - Story of the Women's Camp". www.nma.gov.au. Retrieved 2023-10-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c d Myers, Fred R. (2002-12-16). Painting Culture: The Making of an Aboriginal High Art. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-8416-8.
  5. ^ Ryan, Judith; Batty, Philip (2011), Tjukurrtjanu : origins of Western Desert art, National Gallery of Victoria, National Gallery of Victoria, ISBN 978-0-7241-0345-4
  6. ^ a b c d National Museum of Australia;Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula. "National Museum of Australia - Anatjari (Yanyatjarri) Tjakamarra". www.nma.gov.au. Retrieved 2023-10-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b Harris, Johnathan (2011). Globalization and Contemporary Art. Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell.
  8. ^ Mulford, C. (2017). "Selected artists' biographies: Anatjari Tjakamarra". In Scholes, L. (ed.). tjungunutja from having come together. Darwin, NT: Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. p. 251.
  9. ^ a b "Art: Possum Ancestors - Annenberg Learner". Annenberg Learner. 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ a b c Myers, Fred. "Myers Intrigue of the Archive, Enigma of the Object - in Tjukurrtjanu.pdf". Myers Intrigue of the Archive, Enigma of the Object.
  11. ^ a b "Anatjari (Yanyatjarri) Tjakamarra circa 1938-1992". Sotheby's. December 3, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "Anatjari Tjakamarra| Kuningka| Aborignal Art". Sotheby's. December 3, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ a b "A cave Dreaming". Art Gallery WA Collection Online. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  14. ^ Tymieniecka, Anna-Teresa (2011-08-10). Phenomenology/Ontopoiesis Retrieving Geo-cosmic Horizons of Antiquity: Logos and Life. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-94-007-1691-9.
  15. ^ "Metropolitan Museum of Art: Anatjari Tjakamarra". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  16. ^ "Trove: Anatjari Tjakamarra". trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  17. ^ "DAAO: Anatjari Tjakamarra - collections". DAAO. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  18. ^ Scholes, L. (2017). "MAGNT's Papunya collection c 1971-1972". In Scholes, L. (ed.). tjungunutja from having come together. Darwin, NT: Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. pp. 227–228.
  19. ^ st; l. "Anatjari Tjakamarra". AGSA - Online Collection. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  20. ^ "Anatjari Tjakamarra | Artists | NGV". www.ngv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  21. ^ "Works matching "Anatjari Tjakamarra" :: The Collection :: Art Gallery NSW". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  22. ^ "Artists | NGV". www.ngv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  23. ^ "Anatjari III Tjakamarra, Pintupi people - Emu Story - Search the Collection, National Gallery of Australia". National Gallery of Australia. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  24. ^ Mcculloh, Alan (2006). The New McCulloch’s Encyclopedia of Australian Art. Carlton, Victoria, Australia,: Fitzroy Bc, Vic., Aus Art Editions.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
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