Tjarlirli Rocks by JGM Gallery

TJARLIRLI ROCKS

Published on the occasion of the exhibition at: JGM Gallery 24 Howie Street London SW11 4AY info@jgmgallery.com All images of country courtesy of Tjarlirli Arts Catalogue Design: Alice Wilson ISBN 978-1-9160585-9-0 © 2021 JGM Gallery and the artists All rights reserved Cover Image: Tjarlirli Rockhole (detail) by Tjawina Porter. Acrylic on Canvas, 146 x 177cm

TJARLIRLI ROCKS 3rd June - 3rd July 2021

JGM GALLERY

Tjarlirli Art

Kungka Katjarra by Martha Protty. Acrylic on Canvas, 91 x 91cm

Katjarra Butler Bob Gibson Ms.N.Giles Ms.M.Porter Tjawina Porter Martha Protty

TJARLIRLI ROCKS... an exhibition of paintings from the most remote Aboriginal art centre in Australia. Tjarlirli Art represents the artists of Tjukurla and Kaltukatjara in the Ngannyatjarra lands of Western Australia, known as the NPY lands, close to the border of the Northern Territory. We are thrilled and excited to present such a special collection of works to British art collectors. Tjarlirli art only began to flourish in 2008 when important collectors and curators began to notice the artists’ raw and unique style. I have been constantly surprised and elated to watch the art practice of these extraordinary Western Desert painters evolve and develop for the past twelve years.

It is also a great experience to work with the community managers and art professionals, working with Tjarlirli, to supply the artists with materials and facilitate exhibitions across Australia and throughout the world. It is into an enormously complex situation that Aboriginal artists paint and their agents trade those paintings into the global art market. Aboriginal art from remote communities has a profusion of roles to play in terms of identity, creativity, economic opportunity and exchange across immense cultural difference. Tim Acker, 2009 This small community at Tjukurla of only about 50 people, has the only petrol station and shop for 250 kilometers! The roads are just rough red dirt tracks and communications generally unreliable, so the managers here face many challenges in promoting and showcasing these artists work.

In titling the exhibition TJARLIRLI ROCKS, we are both making reference to the outstanding and dynamic nature of these works, but in a duality of meaning making a nod to the subject matter at the heart of all this work. Tjarlirli art is named after a rockhole of great cultural significance to the community - a sacred site north of the Tjukurla. The artists’ connection to the formations and rock’s of their landscape are at the heart of their making. Nayarapayi Giles and Katjarra Butler are referred to as ‘first contact’ people, who grew up with their families as original desert walkers, living a traditional nomadic life. This first-hand knowledge of indigenous culture is evident in their work. Nyarapayi Giles was awarded first prize in the Sir Charles Gardner Award in 2008 and was a finalist in the Telstra Awards and Joondalup prize in the same year. One of the younger artists in the exhibition, Bob Gibson Tjungarrayi, has always painted his sacred site Patjanta, Gibson is keen to carry on in the same traditions passed on to him by his mother and father. His painting style is his own, and he is fast becoming recognised as one of the most interesting artists from this Western Desert region.

Tjawina Porter and Maggie Porter both started their careers at Papunya,which was one of the original art centres, and their mark making is focussed on the rock and land formations of their heritage. Both have had long careers and are respected artists and members of their community. Martha Protty’s painting’s have gained increased recognition as she has honed and developed her style quite late in life, having focussed her energy on various methods of creativity throughout her life, and as well as her painting she is recognised for her carving and weaving. Today, artwork from Tjarlirli is commanding the attention of discerning buyers and has been acquired by a number of major collections in Australia and abroad. We look forward to sharing these paintings with you here at JGM Gallery. Jennifer Guerrini Maraldi

Katjarra Butler b.1946

Butler is a senior artist and founder of Tjarlirli, with a recognised and developed style. Her paintings reference two Kuniya (python) dreaming, which relates to a location close to her birth place of Kuun. Alongside the Kuniya dreaming, Butler’s painterly language originates from her reliance on and knowledge of the rockholes, soakages, springs and claypans (waterholes) of her landscape. Butler has received the Port Hedland Award and Wyndham Art Prize with work held in national museum collections across Australia and extending to Germany.

Ngamurru by Katjarra Butler. Acrylic on Canvas, 121 x 91cm

Ngamurru by Katjarra Butler. Acrylic on Canvas, 91.5 x 122cm

Ngamurru by Katjarra Butler. Acrylic on Canvas, 146 x 121cm

Bob Gibson b.1974

Gibson had his inaugural solo exhibition in the UK with JGM Gallery in 2017, who have been champions of his unique style for many years. His dynamic and decisive mark-making sets him aside from many of his contemporaries, with much of his inspiration coming from his enjoyment of music, especially that of the local bush bands. Gibson has received recognition from the Telstra NATSIAA and has taken his place in prominent collections across Australia.

Patjanta by Bob Gibson. Acrylic on Canvas, 177 x 147cm

Patjanta by Bob Gibson. Acrylic on Canvas, 146.5 x 146.5cm

“In the work of Bob Gibson we find an invitation. Gibson’s paintings are all about inter-relation; of colour and form, of tension, reaction and interplay; the challenge of raw brushstrokes against flat planes of colour. They are a celebration of individual expression within the cultural continuum. In doing so, they ask us to question the nature the aesthetic, the very ways in which ancient iconographies can be remodelled and innovated, and show us how one artist can create a unique artistic statement, while remaining true to their ancient cultural knowledge.” Henry F Skeritt, 2009

Patjanta by Bob Gibson. Acrylic on Canvas, 147 x 177cm

Warmurrungu by Nyarapayi Giles. Acrylic on Canvas, 120 x 91cm

Ms.N.Giles b.1974 d.2019

Giles was one of the respected elders of the Tjukurla Community, born in the Gibson Desert at an important cultural site called Karku. It is this site and the associated Tjukurpa that inspired her powerful and unique paintings. Giles has gained recognition as a key artist amongst her peers in the Contemporary Indigenous Art Movement. The subtle and flowing application of paint shows great originality, the style she has developed is readily recognisable and unique to her works. Giles works are collected both privately and publicly by institutions in Australia and internationally.

Warmurrungu by Nyarapayi Giles. Acrylic on Canvas, 145 x 145cm

Warmurrungu by Nyarapayi Giles. Acrylic on Canvas, 148.5 x 177cm

Ms.M.Porter b.1961 d.2021

Porter enjoyed a long relationship with Tjarlirli Arts, as an early member in its founding years, Porter travelled and developed her career, notably, to Papunya an equally dynamic art centre. Porter’s paintings are observations of landscape, the rock formations and grooves that are explored in her paintings transform into energetic works full of colour and movement. Porter remained committed to her community and painting throughout her life, we are delighted to be able to bring her work to an international audience, giving it the recognition it deserves.

Kurlkurta by Maggie Porter. Acrylic on Canvas, 90 x 90cm

Kurlkurta by Maggie Porter. Acrylic on Canvas, 90 x 121cm

Tjawina Porter b. 1931

Porter lived a traditional nomadic lifestyle for several decades before settling at Papunya then later Tjukurla. Similar to several artists working in the region she developed skills in weaving and carving before gaining recognition for her exceptional painting ability. Porter’s artworks represent traditional homelands associated with her peoples ancestral heritage. The repeated and honed mark making that is apparent in all her works are derived from sand dunes (tali) and rock escarpments (puli). Porter’s works have been exhibited widely and is part of the Australian National University Collection as well as being collected globally.

Tjarlirli Rockhole by Tjawina Porter. Acrylic on Canvas, 147 x 147cm

Tjarlirli Rockhole by Tjawina Porter Acrylic on Canvas, 121 x 147cm

Tjarlirli Rockhole by Tjawina Porter Acrylic on Canvas, 147 x 177cm

Martha Protty b.1935

Protty is a senior law woman who is recognised as a guardian of knowledge and cultural Tjukurrpa songs. Her artistic practice is very diverse, being held in high esteem for her carving, weaving and painting. Her use of concentrated colour, with a very controlled palette makes her compositions quite unique. We are pleased to have a series of works that denote the trees local to her home. Protty has enjoyed a long career in Australia exhibiting work in a broad range of environments, and recently showcased in Revealed 2020: WA Aboriginal Artists. JGM Gallery is Protty’s first opportunity of an international audience and we look forward to working with her. Protty’s works have been exhibited widely and are part of the Australian National University Collection as well as being collected globally.

Kungka Katjarra by Martha Protty. Acrylic on Canvas, 91 x 120cm

Kungka Katjarra by Martha Protty. Acrylic on Canvas, 100 x 75cm

Kungka Katjarra by Martha Protty. Acrylic on Canvas, 100 x 76cm

With thanks to all at Tjarlirli Arts

TJARLIRLI ROCKS 3rd June - 3rd July 2021

JGM GALLERY