Tjumpo Tjapanangka b. c.1930

  • Artist (Painter)
Prominent Kukatja artist who began painting in Balgo (WA) in 1986. His paintings are typically large in scale and powerful in design. His work is held in major public and private collections.

Born 'in the bush’ c.1930, probably at Waterlander Breakaway, Tjumpo was a Kukatja speaker whose country was located around the site of Karnapilya and the area west of Lake Mackay, to the south of Balgo. His principal Dreamings were Tingari and Water Dreaming. He started painting in Balgo in 1986. Michael Rae, art coodinator at Warlayirit Artists at the time, commented, “His works are recognisable by their very tightly concentrated lines that swirl and squirm around the canvas. Usually done on a larger-sized frame, these works give the feeling of a big country alive with powerfully elemental forces.” The area that the artist painted is where the so-called 'First Contact’ group of 1984 were living, and the artist was a close relative of Walimpirringa Tjapaltjarri and others in the grou

Writers:
Johnson, Vivien Note: primary biographer; information supplied by Michael Rae of Warlayirti Artists
Date written:
1994
Last updated:
2011