Tjumpo Tjapanangka Art for Sale at Auction

b. 1929 - d. 2007

Tjumpo Tjapanangka - Born: c.1929 deceased 2007 Location: Muruwarr, north of Kiwirkurra Skin: Tjapanangka Language: Kukatja, Pintupi

Mediums: Professional acrylic paint on canvas and linen
Themes: Water, rainmaking, soaks; Wati Kutjarra (Two Men Dreaming); Rainbow snakes; Bandicoot, flying ant, dingo spirit, kangaroo; Tingari

Tjumpo was a senior law man, a maparn (healer) and a respected speaker for his community. He was very fit and strong for his age and he attributed this to his diet of bush food. He spole enthusiastically of his childhood in the desert hunting for goanna, echidna, wallaby, wild cat, and the construction of spinifex and mud shelters for the wet season. He came to Balgo as a result of the local priest, Father Alphonse, sending people out into the bush with supplies of flour, sugar and tea to attract Aboriginal people to the Mission. Shortly afterwards, in 1948, a large group of people came in to live at the Old Mission at Tjumuntora. Tjumpo began painting in 1986.

He was very sociable and loved to meander and chat between painting. An inventive painter, Tjumpo's work varied from monumental works incorporating contrasting visual motifs, to more tightly woven smaller pieces. Tjumpo adapted easily to the process of painting on acetates and his silkscreen is one of the prints featured on this Website.