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TURKEY TOLSON TJUPURRULA (1942 - 2002)
‘Straightening of the Spears’
Acrylic on Belgian linen
122 x 153 cm

During mythological times a group of men camped at the site of Illyingaugau near the secret cave site of Mitukatjirri, south-east of the Kintore Community. The rows of dots through this work represent spears that the men are straightening. This is done by slightly warming the spear over a fire and straightening it while it is warm. These men were preparing their spears as they had heard of a possible confrontation with a group of men from the Tjikari area further north.

PROVENANCE
Papunya Tula Artists Pty. Ltd., Alice Springs, painted at Kintore 1999,
Certificate number TT991045
Utopia Art, Sydney
Private Collection, Sydney

Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula was born near Haasts Bluff. Early in his life he worked as a cattleman around Haasts Bluff, Papunya and Mt. Liebig. He painted for Papunya Tula Artists from 1971 through to his death in Alice Springs in August 2001. In 1999 Turkey contributed to the Kintore men’s painting as part of the Western Desert Dialysis Appeal. Other examples of the‘Straightening of the Spears’ by the artist are in the collections of the National Gallery of
Australia and the Art Gallery of South Australia.

REPRESENTED
National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
Art Gallery of South Australia
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Queensland Art Gallery
Flinders University Art Museum
Aboriginal Art Museum, The Netherlands