CANBERRA—Three decades ago indigenous artists from the Papunya region in the Northern Territory created paintings that would go on to transform the art world.
A new exhibition at the National Museum of Australia has captured their story, showing the works that began the commercialisation of indigenous art.
The Papunya art movement is known for its signature style dot paintings on large canvases in palettes of red, yellow, black and white.
The movement began in the early 1970s when a government arts program took large canvases into remote indigenous communities.
The Papunya artists soon transformed their Dreamtime stories onto the vast canvases and boards, experimenting with a range of colours and styles.
By the late 1970s, the artists had established the Papunya Tula Artists Company, and the style that they have now become renowned for.
Phillipus Tjakamarra, 75, known as Long Jack, is the last founding artist of the movement who continues to create work.
He said all of the paintings in the exhibition told stories of the Dreamtime.
"It's important that people know the stories," he said.
Long Jack said painting had become a way of life for the Papunya people and he would continue to create works for a long time.
"For a long time I will be still working," he said.
Papunya Tula Artists Company chairman Bobby West Tjupurrula said the exhibition told an important history of indigenous Dreamtime.
"Looking around really good paintings small and big," he said.
"It's really good for my people to be here, and everybody can learn and recognise the story in the paintings - all about the Dreaming times."
Director of the museum's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program Michael Pickering said very few people were aware of the rich history and culture behind the Papunya art movement.
"The works can be looked at for their artistic merit and we can also consider them as the first products of the commercial art industry," he said.
Exhibition curator, Professor Vivian Johnson said it was the Papunya painters and their work that made the breakthrough into the contemporary art world.
"The company spearheaded that whole movement," she said.
Prof Johnson said the Papunya art movement was a shining example of what could be achieved by indigenous artists.
"Because it's the tall poppy, people like to mutter Papunya Tula this, Papunya Tula that, but people must never forget that it is an indigenous company and its success should be celebrated."
The Papunya Painting: Out of the Desert exhibition features more than 40 works created between 1974 and 1981.
The free exhibition opens at the museum in Canberra Wednesday 28 Nov and runs until February next year.
Feeds