Barney Campbell Tjakamarra

ABOUT

TJUKURPA ART GALLERY

Specialising in Aboriginal Fine Art

Barney was born in the mid 1930’s in the Gibson Desert near Kintore in the Northern Territory and is one of the Ngatjatjarra tribe. Sadly Barney passed away in 2006. He was married to Maisey Napaltjarri and they had three son’s and two daughters. Barney was a custodial elder and has earned the right to paint “Pinari Tingari”. Round circles called Malliera, and are designs used in the initiation ceremonies for young men. He also painted more linear works representing sandhills at Naaru, his father’s country. He painted Tingari stories involving the travel and songlines of these creation ancestors from his country. During the Tjukurrpa ( creation era ) Tingari ancestors gathered at a series of sites for Malliera ( Initiation ) Ceremonies. They travelled vast stretches of the land performing rituals at specific sites that in turn created the diverse natural features of the environment. Tingari men were accompanied by novices and usually followed by Tingari women. The creation stories are venerated in the sond cycles and cermonies of today, forming part of the teachings passed down whilst also providing explanations for contemporary customs. He participated in ceremony in Kintore and surrounding areas as a senior law man. He was a participant in the collaborative work done by the senior artists of the community exhibited in the Art Gallery of NSW During the Sydney Olympics in the year 2000. This major work was auctioned to raise money for a dialysis machine in Kintore. The exhibition was titled Papunya Tula “Genesis and Genius “.

Artists Bio

Artist’s image is not shown out of respect for the Aboriginal Cultural custom regarding viewing images of the deceased.