Artiste : Lennard Walker

Titre de l'œuvre : Tali

Format : 200 x 137 cm

Provenance et certificat : centre d'art aborigène du Spinifex Art Project

Référence de cette peinture : 19-1

Vendue

Explications pour cette œuvre :

Lennard Walker (1946) has depicted the Tali tjuta (sand dunes) all along here. This is country I am responsible for around Kuru Ala (located in the Great Victoria Desert of WA). There are small rock holes along the lines of sand dunes. Lennard has also painted the more permanent rock holes of Wiyatjara, a site belonging to the Wati Kutjara – Serpent Men from Pukara. The men travelled from Wiyatjara to Purpurnya close by to Kuru Ala. Lennard was born at Kuru Ala making him the senior custodian for this place. It is a ‘Women’s Site” holding the Kungkarangkalpa Tjukurpa – Seven Sisters story. As a man there are places he cannot go, but he still holds authority and cultural responsibilities for Kuru Ala. The women travel from Kuru Ala to Tjulkultjara and Nyuman, two rock holes also depicted in the work.

Lennard was born at Tjukaltjara on the central northern border of Spinifex circa 1946. Tjukaltjara is an extension of a massive Seven Sisters site centred at Kuru Ala (eyes open) which could describe the state of alertness required by the sisters being relentlessly stalked across great tracts of central Australia by the obsessively amorous Nyiiru. Lennard’s country lies at the crossover of the endless dunes of Spinifex and the ironstone ranges to the north punctuated by a series of spectacular breakaways and mesas. Women from the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Spinifex Lands regularly convene together at Kuru Ala to practice Women’s ceremonies. In keeping with strict protocol the women first must ask Mr. Walker for permission to enter his country. Diplomatically, Mr. Walker never refuses.

Unlike most born in country artists Lennard moved out of Spinifex with his extended family to the Warburton Mission, established in 1934. Lennard spent time at the Mission school and picked up a good deal of conversational English. This was to serve him well later during the new political era that ensued after the transfer from mission authority to Aboriginal “self-management”. Lennard’s family were comparative strangers in Warburton and took the first opportunity to move to Cundeelee Mission to join the other Spinifex families there.

His artworks are in the following prestigious collections :

Artbank Australian Government, Canberra. A.C.T.
Collection Prince Stefan Of Liechtenstein, Embassy Of Liechtenstein In Germany. (Mens Collaborate)
Kuntswerk Sammlung Alison Und Peter W. Klein, Germany Sammlung Alison Und Peter W. Klein, Germany
National Gallery Of Australia, Canberra, Act (Mens Collaborative)
Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Usa. (Mens Collaborative)
The British Museum, London. (Mens Collaborative)
The Corrigan Collection, Australia (Mens Collaborative)
The Kaplan-Levi Collection, Usa
W. & V. Mcgeoch Collection, Melbourne, Vic.
Wagner And Owen Collection, Usa.
Queensland Art Gallery Of Modern Art, Brisbane, Qld.
The Art Gallery Of New South Wales, Sydney, Nsw (Mens Collaborative)
Art Gallery Of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia (Mens Collaborative)