Gallery Gondwana is proud to launch our book “Honouring and Remembering the Art and Life of Dorothy Napangardi”.

This monograph by the author Roslyn Premont (founder and director of Gallery Gondwana) traces a period of Dorothy’s career and their close friendship from 1987 to 2013.

Told in a story book style, this journey is revealed through Roslyn’s personal collection of photos and notes, recounting Dorothy’s life story, her remarkable art and the inspiration behind it.

Extract: Honouring And Remembering The Art And Life Of Dorothy Napangardi

Mitjili paints mythological narrative relating to her country and often will depict narrative through multiple layers in the one painting. She uses an aerial perspective and highlights important sites with a painterly but also spontaneous technique.

While the narrative of her paintings is a fluid range of connections that can change with each viewing, there are two consistent themes. There is the focus on her early life spent with close family members and then the reference to a landscape soaked with traditional perceptions of creation.

George Tjapaltjarri or ‘Dr’ George as he became known, was one of several ngangkari (traditional healers – ‘Cleverman’) who was highly respected for his work as a community health worker, who worked in association with the Kintore and Tjukurla Medical Clinics.

‘Dr’ George first came into contact with white society when he walked out of the desert in 1964. His traditional country includes Karrinwarra, which is located west of Kintore and the Kilinga – Wanampa region located west of Jupiter Well.

In late 1984, Walala and several other members of the Pintupi tribe walked out of the remote wilderness of the Gibson Desert in Western Australia and made contact for the first time with European society. Described as “The Lost Tribe“, he and his family created international headlines.

Introduced to painting in the mid ‘90’s by his brother Warlimpirrnga, Walala’s first paintings were in a classical Tingari style. But it wasn’t long before he began abstracting the classical Pintupi designs, creating a highly graphic language to speak of his country and ceremonial sites. The rectangles so prominent in his paintings form both a physical and spiritual map.

As a senior law man and highly respected elder, Barney had the right to paint the ‘Tingari Cycle’ stories. One of the founding members of the Papunya Tula art movement in the 1970’s, he was introduced to us by his friend Dr George Tjapaltjarri, whilst getting treatment in Alice Springs Hospital.

Barney would regularly be found painting in the Gallery Gondwana Studio. He would often be heard singing in language by the staff, immersed in the ritual of painting his creation stories.

As one of Australia’s most beloved ‘outsider artists’ it is no small wonder that Billy Benn’s work has attained such a significant and unique place in the Aboriginal art market.

Since joining Bind Inc in the early 80’s, he had been painting his father’s country, working from memory to create a visual map of country that he has not seen since a boy. He first showed with the Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs in the year 2000.

A stunning example of the artwork of Tommy Watson, this painting, Anumarapiti - is now available for sale. The painting has a rich and powerful presence.

Tommy Watson is a senior Pitjantjatara elder and Law man of Karima (Karimara) skin group. His given names of Yannima and Pikarli relate to specific sites near Anumarapiti.

Billy Benn produced very few works of this scale and this was one of the most memorable paintings we had in the Gallery. One of our key national galleries put it on hold immediately but because of lack of funding at that time couldn’t proceed, so astute collector’s snapped up this magnificent work.

This work from a highly regarded and highly collectable senior male artist have been reluctantly put up for resale as their owners have moved interstate and no longer have enough walls space to house this work.

Queenie Mckenzie began painting in the late 1980’s after being encouraged by her friend Rover Thomas. She went on to become an internationally respected artist, whose works in paintings and print provide a prominent and compelling comment on the Aboriginal experience.

“Every rock, every hill, every water, I know that place backwards and forwards, up and down, inside out. It’s my country and I got names for every place.”

Not sure what you like… looking for that special artwork… looking at starting or adding to your existing collection… then check out our Stockroom…

We offer a range of renowned artist such as Queenie Nakarra McKenzie, Vincent Forrester, Weaver Jack and also many works from our key artists… including Dr George Tjapaltjarri, Dorothy Napangardi, Barney Campbell, Linda Syddick, Julie Robinson, Walala Tjapaltjarri etc…