Sale information
In 1971, Papunya consisted of just a few shacks, forming a settlement where Aborigines from different language groups had been concentrated. In the space of a few years, this Aboriginal community would make a name for itself the world over, as it was here that the last great pictorial movement of the twentieth century began.
At the initiative of one man, Geoffrey Bardon, a small group of initiates began to paint millennia-old motifs. Their land, which they were to obtain back in 1976, is one of the most isolated regions in the world. The remote and vast Western Desert, an almost unexplored region.
The forthcoming Millon sale will be an opportunity to discover the art of the last witness to this period, when the emergence of painting on modern supports appeared in central Australia.
Ronnie Tjampitjinpa no longer paints - he's too old. From the mid-1980s onwards, he was one of the artists who reoriented the movement, leading it towards greater simplicity, often playing with visual, kinetic effects, a great modernity in appearance. And yet, the inspiration remains tradition. In this sale, enthusiasts will be able to opt for small formats inspired by the journey to Dreamtime, the genesis for the Aborigines of the Tingari Ancestors. A canvas inspired by the motifs of the Dream of Water, an important theme in an area where water is rarely visible, may be more to his liking. Ronnie is in charge of conducting the rituals that allow the rain to fall; he is a "rainmaker" and likes to reproduce the body painting that accompanies these ceremonies. (lots 38,39,40,104,118,135,147).
In an equally powerful visual style, and remaining in the same geographical area, three doyens, artists well known to collectors but also highly respected initiates, will see paintings of very high quality scattered about: they also evoke the travels of the Tingari Ancestors, who shaped the reliefs in the desert and breathed life into them. Of course, there are no figurative elements: this is a symbolic painting, all the more so as the theme of the Tingari Cycles concentrates the most sacred and secret motifs of Aboriginal iconography.
George Ward Tjungurrayi, now at the end of his life, and Charlie Tjapangati (a magnificent large-format work is presented in this sale) have remained faithful to the pointillist background that creates a powerful vibration (lots 76, 80). This is not the case with George Tjungurrayi, perhaps the last great master still able to produce regularly, who has abandoned the point. His large composition takes on a very fluid appearance and retains the power of ancestral motifs (lot 82).
If we leave the Western Desert and head east into the bush, we reach the vast community of Utopia. It's here that women artists show, through their paintings, the extent of their knowledge, their ability to adapt to new and modern materials and, above all, to build a bridge between the purest tradition and their own personal style. Let's just mention four outstanding personalities. From small formats (40 x 50 cm) to monumental works over 200 cm long, Minnie Pwerle's extraordinary energy and calligraphic style leave no one indifferent. She has completely renewed the very popular theme of body painting (lots 41,62,78,86,122,123,127,157). Kathleen and Gloria Petyarre are from the same family. But each has taken a different path to self-expression. Kathleen's precise style (lots 55, 98) contrasts with that of her sister Gloria, more exuberant and richly colored (lots 25,52,57,85,140,146,152,154). Gloria's series depicting a carpet of medicinal leaves is undoubtedly the most sought-after: in this sale, one can acquire them in very large formats, but also in a size perfectly suited to Parisian apartments (from €400). Abie Loy Kemarre is Kathleen's granddaughter. She is also perhaps the best-known artist of her generation - she is now just over 50 years old - and her work is highly successful. We'll find her here with several series: we'll have the choice between her Leaf series, foliage painted with great delicacy and dynamic movement, and another series depicting the "Country" of which she is the spiritual guardian, with its watering holes and food sources (lots 6,28,91,99,124,138,144,155). As is often the case in Aboriginal art, the aim is to show that this region of central Australia is not hostile, but very rich for those who know the secrets of nature! This art celebrates life.
We could also mention two series by a popular painter, Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi (lots 79,81,83). Although she is now in her mid-fifties, she received her first art prize when she was just 16. But she was well educated, as she is the daughter of Clifford Possum Japaltjarri, who had a considerable influence on Central Australian artists. Apart from an obvious sense of space and color, there is nothing to link the two series. The first, in shades of blue, depicts the Milky Way and, more specifically, the creation of the Pleiades and Orion. This is the Dream of the Seven Sisters, a common theme among aboriginal women and the subject of an exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly this spring. The other, in elegant shades of pinks and ochres, mauves and whites, describes her grandmother's homeland: it reflects the general public's image of this art form. A mass of dots, symbolic motifs such as circles and horseshoe shapes... At €3,000 each, these are fine purchases, with one of the formats measuring almost 200 cm. These are three pieces that can enhance a collection or simply brighten up an interior.
Finally, this sale will reflect the dynamism and richness of this movement.
Buyers can opt for small formats and objects (such as didgeridoos, dance boards - for €30), for paintings made with natural pigments from tropical Arnhem Land on eucalyptus bark (with small old paintings - from the 1960s, that's old for aboriginal art! (It costs around €300 / €400 to walk away with a fine example), or from the tiny Tiwi Islands.
The Kimberley will also be represented by painters from the famous Turkey Creek community. Paintings from this plateau region of northern Western Australia tell their stories (and sometimes Christian stories!) with economy of means and great poetry. The relief provided by the pigments catches the light. Even the famous Esprit Wandjina, often associated with water because they travel on clouds, are represented by a beautiful small format by one of the emblematic painters of this theme, Lily Karadada (40 x 40 cm, lot 167). The rock paintings of the North Kimberley featuring these spirits are featured in numerous TV reports.
