Walala Tjapaltjarri

Walala Tjapaltjarri painted his homeland and ceremonial sites in the Gibson Desert, including Wilkinkarra, Maruwa and Tarrku. Introduced to painting by his brother Warlimpirrnga in 1997, he began in the classical Tingari style before developing his own graphic language of bold rectangles that act as a physical and spiritual map of his country. In 1984 he was among the Pintupi group who came out of the desert and made first contact with European society. Walala passed away in 2026.