Ronnie Tjampitjinpa

Ronnie Tjampitjinpa was born sometime around 1942 near Muyinnga, 100 km west of the Kintore  Ranges across the W.A  border. Ronnie and his younger brother, Smithy Zimarron, originally came in from the bush at Yuendumu. He was initiated into Aboriginal Law at Yumari . He spent most of his early life in a nomadic existence in the remote  Gibson Desert, on the W.A / N.T  border. For many years he moved between Papunya, Yuendumu and Mt Doreen Station. Later becoming a stockman in the late 1950’s. He moved his family into the newly formed Papunya settlement in the early 1960’s.  His family travelled extensively across Pintupi  territory, moving throughout this region and also in the area around Lake Mackay  ( N T ) . When he first moved to Papunya, he  first worked as a labourer, even assisting with the fencing of the aerodrome. He began to paint in   Papunya  in 1971, at the beginning of the Contemporary Aboriginal Art Movement. His true desire, which he disclosed to many people, was to Permanently move back to his traditional lands. This move was finally made possible with the establishment of Kintore in 1981. Ronnie moved to Kintore with his family in 1981 and has since emerged as one of Papunya Tula Artists’ Associations major painters. It wasn’t until 1988 that he began to attract serious notice as an Artist. Chairman of the Kintore  Outstation Council , Ronnie currently resides on his outstation at Redbank ( Ininti ) with his brother Kenny Williams. He was featured in the Landmank “Papunya Tula – Genisus & Genius”  show at the Art  Gallery of N.S.W,  The exhibition releasing an excellent book of the same name, showcasing works involved. Ronnie’s works are considered highly collectable with his reputation soaring after the advent of an Auction Market in the late 1990’s. He has and continues to fetch high prices both in galleries and particularly at auction.  Ronnie was included in the highly coveted , Australian Art Collector Magazine’s “ Australia’s 50 Most Collectable Artists ” in 2001. Exhibitions: ~ 1986 – Participated in ‘A retrospective Survey of  Aboriginal Acrylic Paintings of  the Central Desert’,  RMIT, Melbourne ~ 1986 – Roar Studios, Melbourne ~ 1987 – ‘Contemporary Aboriginal Paintings ’, Benalla Art Gallery. ~ 1988 -‘Contemporary Aboriginal Paintings ’, Benalla Art Gallery. ~ 1989 - he had his first solo exhibition at the Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, ~ 1990 - ‘Contemporary Aboriginal Paintings ’, Benalla Art Gallery. ~ 1991 - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi ~ 1993 - He was included in ‘Australian  Perspecta 1993’ at the Art Gallery  of NSW. Collections: ~ National Gallery of Australia ( Canberra ) ~ Qld Art Gallery ~ Art Gallery of N.S.W ~ Art Gallery of Victoria ~ Araluen Arts Centre ( Alice Springs ) ~ Art Gallery of SA ~ Holmes `a` Court, W.A ~ Art Gallery of WA ~ Museums & Art Galleries of NT ~ Darwin Supreme Court ~ Musee National des Africans et Oceaniens ( Paris) ~  Groninger Museum, The Netherlands ~ Medibank Private ~ Corporate, University & Private Collections Awards: ~ 2001 -Ronnie was included in Australia’s 50 most collectable Artists , By the Australian Art Collector Magazine. ~ In 1988 - Ronnie won the Alice Springs Art Prize.