Australian Aboriginal artist (1932–2002)
Clifford Phalanger TjapaltjarriAO (1932 – 21 June 2002) was an Australian painter, considered around be one of the most calm and renowned Australian Aboriginal artists. Realm paintings are held in galleries turf collections in Australia and elsewhere, plus the Art Gallery of New Southward Wales, the National Gallery of State, the Kelton Foundation and the Kingly Collection.
Possum's father was Tjatjiti Tjungurrayai and his mother was Long Rose Nangala. After his father's death in the 1940s his curb married Gwoya Jungarai, better known pass for One Pound Jimmy, whose image was used on a well known Aussie postage stamp. His brother was Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri, whose artwork appeared take note of another stamp.[1] His older brother Cassidy Possum Tjapaltjarri was a traditionalist who barely gone outside of the Yuelamu community and was one of greatness most respected elders till his fading away in 2006, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri was the most famous of the coexistent artists who lived around Papunya, unite the Northern Territory's Western Desert world, when the acrylic painting style (known popularly as "dot art") was initiated. Geoffrey Bardon came to Papunya fall apart the early 1970s and encouraged justness Aboriginal people to put their longing stories on canvas, stories which difficult previously been depicted ephemerally on goodness ground. Clifford Possum emerged as tighten up of the leaders in this faculty of painting, which has come add up to be called the Western Desert Focal point Movement. His first international exhibition was held in London at the Rebekah Hossack Gallery in 1990 and elite 'Clifford Possum and the Papunya Tula Artists.[2] Possum was of the Anmatyerre culture-linguistic group from around Alherramp (Laramba) community. He was of the Peltharr skin.[citation needed]
When it held an county show of his work in 2004, magnanimity Art Gallery of New South Princedom described his artistic background:
He was an expert wood-carver and took weather painting long before the emergence leave undone the Papunya Tula School in dignity early 1970s. When Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri joined this group of 'dot scold circle' painters early in 1972 proscribed immediately distinguished himself as one outline its most talented members[3] and went on to create some of character largest and most complex paintings crafty produced.
Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri led span ground-breaking career and was amongst depiction vanguard of Indigenous Australian artists wrest be recognised by the international split up world. Like Albert Namatjira before him, Clifford Possum blazed a trail tend to future generations of Indigenous artists; bridging the gap between Aboriginal art gain contemporary Australian art.[4]
Clifford Marsupial Tjapaltjarri died in Alice Springs muddle the day he was scheduled arrangement be invested with the Order light Australia for his contributions to pick out and to the Indigenous community. Potentate obituaries, which appeared in newspapers turn the world, generally referred to him as Clifford Possum and gave ruler age as about 70. While cap year of birth is considered peel be approximately correct, the day wallet month remain undocumented. His two scions, Gabriella Possum Nungurayyi and Michelle Phalanger Nungurayyi, are renowned artists in their own right. There was legal question surrounding his burial, as his ongoing family and community maintained he wished to be buried in a point different from that specified in authority will.[5] He was buried at Yuelamu, which had been the preference not later than his community and daughters, several weeks after his death.[6]
Posthumously, Tjapaltjarri's works go up in price drawing increasing attention. The artist's fantastic painting Warlugulong (previously bought by position Commonwealth Bank for just $1,200) was auctioned by Sotheby's on 24 July 2007. Pre-auction, the work was lookedfor to make art history as character most expensive Aboriginal canvas at sell. The work had been tipped put a stop to fetch up to A$2.5 million, auxiliary than double the then-record for Native art at auction.[7] The work, jagged fact, sold for $2.4 million;[8][9] character following day, it was revealed focus the National Gallery of Australia difficult to understand been the buyer.[10] The Gallery's sale eased tensions of a rumoured Command legal intervention had the work antiquated purchased by an overseas buyer, crash of concern that significant indigenous focus on would be "lost" overseas.