Tommy Watson
(Australia circa 1935– )
- Language group
- Pitjantjatjara, Southern Desert region
- Title
- Wantjama
- Place of origin
-
Wingellina →
Ngaanyatjarraku →
Central and Western Desert →
Northern Territory →
Australia
- Year
- 2003
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas
- Dimensions
-
139.5 x 85.2cm stretcher
- Signature & date
- Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Purchased 2004
- Accession number
- 5.2004
- Copyright
- © Tommy Watson. Licensed by Viscopy, Australia
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
According to documentation from Irrunytju Art Centre, 'Wantjama' tells the story of all the children. Tjitji Tjuta Tjukurrpa. That minyma (woman) Kutungu, she had two children, a boy and a girl at the rockhole, the next night she had more children at another rockhole. She had a lot of children. This country is where Wantjama, her son, was born.
'Wantjama' demonstrates Watson's characteristic field of dots depicting the sacred landscape, his country, through planes of colour that meld and intersect. Colour is used with great sensitivity and authority in all his work and this painting is no exception. The enigmatic shapes in the lower left hand corner, traced with white dots, are balanced by the solid white shapes on the right.
Irrunytju Arts is located in Western Australia 720 kms south-east of Alice Springs, in the Ngaagyatjarra/Pitjantjatjara lands. This new art community exhibited for the first time in 2001. Their vibrant and colourful works have since received much attention from private and public collectors. Tommy Watson has emerged as one of the key artists and this reflects his status in the community as a senior Law man and cultural custodian.
© Australian Art Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2004
- Bibliography (4)
-
Ken McGreggor (Author), Marie Geissler (Australia) (Author), Yannima Pikarli Tommy Watson, Melbourne, 2010, 34 (colour illus.). NOTE: Artwork is reproduced horizontally.
'Yrirbana: a facelift and a new show', pg. 28-31., Look Jul 2005, Jul 2005, front cover (colour illus.), 7 (colour illus.).
'Desert's treasures' by Kieran Finnane, pg. 1, 8, 9., Alice Springs News 27 Aug 2003, 27 Aug 2003, 1, 8.
Araluen Centre (Australia), Desert Mob 2003, Alice Springs, 2003. cat.no. IRU03; 2003 List of Works insert in Exhibition Catalogue
- Exhibition history (1)
-
Desert Mob 2003, Araluen Centre, 24 Aug 2003–05 Oct 2003.
