Yala Yala Tjungurrayi b. c.1925

Also known as Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungurai, Yala Yala Gibson Tjungarai, Yella Yella Gibbs Tjungarrayi
  • Artist (Painter)
One of the classic exponents of the Pintupi style of western desert painting, Yala Yala was an authority amongst the senior Pintupi men on ceremonial matters in the region around his traditional homelands and one of the original Papunya Tula Artists.

Born c.1925 west of Lake McDonald, Yala Yala and his family arrived at Papunya settlement in the early 1960s. He began painting at the beginning of the Papunya Tula movement and in the 1980s continued to paint while living with family at Kintore in the Pintupi homelands or his outstation at Muntardi. His traditional lands encompassed a wide area south-east of Kiwirrkura covering a vast network of sites, parts of which are depicted in his paintings. Yala Yala was an authority amongst the senior Pintupi men on ceremonial matters for this region. He remained one of the classic exponents of the Pintupi style of western desert painting.

Writers:
Johnson, Vivien Note: primary biographer
Date written:
1994
Last updated:
2011