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Biography:
Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa
LANGUAGE: Ngaatjatjarra and Pintupi/Luritja.
BIRTH SITE: Tjukurrla which is to the north of Docker River in Western
Australia.
Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa is an established Australian
Aboriginal senior artist from the Western Desert. Tjawina was born
around 1940 in Tjukurrla, Western Australia. In the 80’s Art
movement, the family of Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa and Nyurapayia
Nampitjinpa moved to Papunya,
painting for
Papunya Tula Artists.
Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa paintings are held in private
and corporate
collection in Australia and internationally, appreciated by
international art collectors.
Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa is the sister of Esther Giles
Nampitjinpa and half-sister of the highly admired artist,
Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa aka Mrs.
Bennett
1935-2013.
Renowned
for her
carver-sculptor
skill
and an exceptional in basket weaving, Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa is a prominent
painter.
Tjawina Porter work rich
of graphic
images,
reflect the knowledge and meaning of the lives of her cultural group
land.
Using intricate, spirited compositions and
thick layering paint, Porter Nampitjinpa creates remarkable (Arial-view
landscape) paintings that are based on her family ancestral Dreaming and
the land. Tjawina paints the sites of Yumari, Punkilpirri, Tjukurla and
Tjalili. These sites are significant, as they are the places for
ceremonies and the areas to obtain water and vital bush foods.
Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa maintained a strong connection
to her ancestral country around Docker River. Tjawina is living at
Docker River with her sister Esther Giles Nampitjinpa. She greatly
enjoys paintings and encourages other members of her community to
continue this tradition, and in doing so promote their culture.
Tjawina
sisters,
Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa aka Mrs Bennett
and
Esther Giles Nampitjinpa funded backed Women’s painting camp
held for Haasts Bluff and Kintore women.
Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa become the most outstanding powerful
artist.
This important event announced the arrival of the women desert artists.
At the time Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa and Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa family
moved to Papunya which has been at the centre of the art movement.
Like other desert artists Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa maintained a strong
connection to her ancestral country around Docker River.
Tjawina paints ‘My Country’ which encompasses the traditional
Dreaming sites of her birthplace including ‘Yumara Dreaming’ which tells
of a forbidden love story and ‘Punkilpirri Dreaming’ representing a
large water site as well as ‘Tjalili’ representing the geographical area
of her country.
Tjawina work
is
rich in
representation of graphic
images of her family stories, represented in worldwide collections,
reflecting the knowledge and the system of meanings of the lives of her
cultural group.
Tjawina
Porter topics are depicted in the particular compositions and details,
and other elements that are distinct from her artistic style.
Tjawina
uses own particular depiction of a subject in terms of the content of
the image.
The artist style is a thickly layered palette of predominantly whites,
creams, browns and pastels.
History
Tjawina and her family grew up with a traditional upbringing of the
gatherer and hunters of the Western Desert.
1970`s Tjawina then a widow, along with her children, lived in Papunya
settlement then returned to live in Docker River. In the late
1980`s Tjawina and her sister Esther moved with their families to
Tjukurla to help establish it as new community.
Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa's paintings are represented in private and
corporate collections in Australia and internationally. Tjawina is one
of the most collectible artists from the central desert. Her works are
held in many private and international collections.
COLLECTIONS
Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa
work is represented by private and corporate collection around the
world include
Australian National University, Canberra
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
The artist is held in national and international collections and has
been exhibited in Australian galleries including:
2019 Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney ‘Defining Tradition’ the first wave and
its disciples
2018 Smith Davidson Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 'East meets
West'
2018
Drill Hall Gallery, ANU
Canberra ACT Australia
1 Dec 2017 to 31 Jan 2018
Japingka Gallery
Fremantle WA
Christmas Collection
2015
Japingka Gallery
Fremantle WA
Sixteen Artists
2015 Zamek Cultural Institute, Poznan, Poland, Contemporary Aboriginal
Art Signs & Traces
2014, 2015 Japingka Gallery, Fremantle WA
2010 Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney NSW
Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa paintings represented in collection around
the world,
reflect the knowledge and the system of meanings of the lives of her
cultural group.
Tjawina Porter
work is
rich in
representation of graphic
images of her family stories.
Tjawina Porter
identification, description, and the interpretation of the images
content are personal subjective and topographical. She uses own
particular depiction of a subject in terms of the content of the image.
PHOTO: (2006) Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa
Tjawina
topics are depicted in the particular compositions and details, and
other elements that are distinct from her artistic
Tjawina's paintings are represented in
private and corporate collections in Australia and internationally.
Tjawina Porter paintings often depict the three main water holes
associated with "Tjawina’s Dreamings". The first is "Tjukurrla" situated
on the Northern Territory / Western Australia borders. The remaining two
are "Tjalili" and "Punkilpirri". The lines that connect these sites are
ancestral pathways or son lines. These were established as an indicator
for the passage from one site to the next during ceremony.
The patterns to the outer edges of the painting represent the
surrounding topography consisting of sand dunes and rock escarpments.
Tjawina also depicts women’s ceremony referred to as “inma”. The “U”
shapes represent the women as they conduct initiation ceremony. Body
painting is an important part of tribal practices and this is
represented by series of short parallel lines.
"Tjawina’s homeland of Tjukurrla" is situated on the Northern Territory
/ Western Australia border and remains as an important site for both
men’s and women’s ceremonies. Tjawina paints her family dreaming, the
sites of Yumari, Punkilpirri, Tjukurla and Tjalili. These sites are
important for ceremonies and as sources for water and important bush
foods.
Tjawina lived a tribal life until moving to the then newly established
government settlement of Papunya after her younger brother died. Now
widowed, she has returned to live with her family members on traditional
land.
Initially known for her skill as a traditional basket weaver, Tjawina
has developed into a prominent painter. Her works are rich in
ethnographic iconography and image the stories passed down by her mother
and her father.
The sites of Yumari, Punkilpirri, Tjukurla and Tjalili are often
portrayed, using a thickly layered style of predominantly white, cream,
brown and pastel colours. These sites are significant as they are the
places for ceremonies and the areas to source water and vital bush
foods.
Literature
Source
& FURTHER
REFERENCES
Australian
Aboriginal Artist dictionary of biographies
Kreczmanski, Janusz B & Birnberg, Margo (eds.): Aboriginal Artists:
Dictionary of Biographies: Central Desert, Western Desert & Kimberley
Region JB Publishing Australia, Marleston, 2004.
Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert - A Biographical Dictionary by
Vivien Johnson, published by Craftsman House 1994
The Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture
edited by Sylvia Kleinert and Margo Neale published by OUP 2000
Aboriginal Artists: Dictionary of Biographies: Central Desert, Western
Desert & Kimberley Region JB Publishing Australia, Marleston, 2004
Brody, A. 1989 Utopia women’s Paintings: the First Works on Canvas, A
summer Project, 1988-89 exhib. Cat. Heytesbury Holdings, Perth Brody
A. 1990 Utopia, a picture Story, 88 Silk Batiks from the Robert Homes a
Court Gallery and gallery Collection,
Heytesbury Holdings LTD Perth NATSIVAD database, Latz, P. 1995,
Bushfires & Bushtucker, IAD Press, Alice Springs
Brody, A. 1989 Utopia women’s Paintings: the First Works on Canvas, A
summer Project 1988-89 exhib. Cat. Heytesbury Holdings, Perth Brody
A. 1990 Utopia, a picture Story, 88 Silk Batiks from the Robert Homes a
Court Gallery and gallery Collection
Heytesbury Holdings LTD Perth NATSIVAD database; Latz, P. 1995,
Bushfires & Bushtucker, IAD Press, Alice Springs.
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