22   SOLD

PATRICK TJUNGURRAYI (born circa 1945)
Acrylic on Belgian linen
122 x 122 cm

This painting depicts designs associated with the site of Myilili, near Jupiter Well and west of the Kiwirrkura community in Western Australia. In mythological times a large group of ancestral Tingari men camped at this site before travelling south-east to Ngarru. At Ngarru the men performed the dances and sang the songs associated with the area. Upon completion of the ceremonies at Ngarru the men continued their travels north-east toward Kiwirrkura, eventually reaching Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay) via another lake site known as Pinari. As the men travelled they drank from various water sources found amongst the rocky outcrops. These rockholes and soakages are represented by the concentric squares running through the middle of the painting. The jagged lines represent rain-making designs that were painted onto the men’s bodies for ceremonial purposes. Since events associated with the Tingari Cycle are of a secret nature no further detail was given.

PROVENANCE
Papunya Tula Artists Pty. Ltd., Alice Springs, painted at Kiwirrkura 2006,
Certificate number PT0609168

Patrick was born in the desert near Jupiter Well circa 1945. He is a Pintupi speaker who has divided his time between Balgo and the Pintupi homeland community of Kiwirrkura to the south. Patrick is the younger brother of Brandy Tjungurrayi who also lives in Kiwirrkura. In 1999 Patrick contributed to the Kiwirrkura mens’ painting as part of the Western Desert Dialysis Appeal.

REPRESENTED
National Gallery of Australia
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Artbank