Dinny Nolan Tjampitjinpa (b. c. 1944) and Paddy Carroll Tjungurrayi (c. 1932–2002) are Warlpiri artists from Papunya. Tjampitjinpa was born near Yuendumu in the Western Desert and worked as a stockman for many years. Tjungurrayi was born in Yarrungkanyi in the Western Desert. During the Second World War he served in the Australian Army and for 30 years he worked as a carpenter and stockman at Narwietooma Station. Both men moved to Papunya in the mid-1970s and began to paint. Through his works Tjampitjinpa shares his Rainmaking and Water Dreamings, designs that he also paints on men for traditional ceremonies. Tjungurrayi soon became one of the most well-known Western Desert artists, whose concentric circle designs were included on the Bicentennial ten dollar note in 1988. Tjampitjinpa and Tjungurrayi's works have been included in many exhibitions and are held in major Australian collections.
In 1994, photographer Greg Weight travelled to the Western Desert to photograph artists at work. At Papunya he met Tjampitjinpa and Tjungurrayi. Weight recalled in the resulting book, Australian Artists: 'As the sun neared the horizon I asked if I might make some photographs. The two men nodded, and the dogs, Blacky, Blacky, Blacky, Brownie and Brownie (their real names) dutifully participated.'
Gift of Patrick Corrigan AM 2004. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Gregory Weight/Copyright Agency, 2022
The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the
Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a
Reproduction request. For further information please contact
NPG Copyright.
