As the painters garnered attention, artists were invited to participate in numerous important exhibitions across Australia, Canada, and the United States. Bob Edwards, the director of the Aboriginal Arts Board, encouraged the artists to create larger paintings to capture global attention and commissioned the first works on canvas in 1974. This canvas is one of them. Paintings on canvas could be rolled, which made them easier to transport and allowed the artists to work on a grander scale, but it was different from painting on board. Canvas absorbs more paint, allowing for differing levels of translucency and opacity, which Dinny Nolan exploits to create areas of shimmering depth.
They’re making rain, Tjampitjinpa, Tjangala, they’re singing. Tjakamarra, Tjupurrula too. After one week, you’ll see the clouds. From no clouds, you’ll see those clouds. Every way lightning, then a big wind, from the song. Start him raining now, the rain will come out.
Language Group: Warlpiri
Dates: c. 1928-2012
Dinny Nolan Tjampitjinpa was one of the original shareholders at Papunya Tula Artists. He worked as a stockman before following in the footsteps of his cousins, Clifford Possum, Tim Leura, and Billy Stockman, and joining the group of painters. He became a leading artist and public face of the movement in the 1980s, and in 1981 he traveled alongside fellow artist, Paddy Caroll Tjungurrayi, to help construct one of the first sand paintings ever seen outside of Central Australia at the S.H Erwin Gallery in Sydney. Dinny Nolan was a leader among the Warlpiri people with authority over Rainmaking and Water Dreaming ceremonies. In 1991, he toured the United States, again with Paddy Carroll Tjungurrayi, visiting colleges and Native American communities.
Biographical information sourced from Vivien Johnson, Lives of the Papunya Tula Artists. Alice Springs: IAD Press, 2008.
DINNY NOLAN TJAMPITJINPA, Men's Ceremony, c.1974
Synthetic polymer paints on canvas. 65 × 19 in. (165.1 × 48.3 cm). Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia, Gift of John W. Kluge, 1997. 1991.0021.013.
© estate of the artist licensed by Aboriginal Artists Agency Ltd for Papunya Tula Artists Pty Ltd.
Kluge-Ruhe Collections Manager Nicole Wade unrolling Dinny Nolan’s Men’s Ceremony for conservation.
Dinny Nolan Tjampitjinpa, Flinders University Art Museum Collection.
Photo by Professor J.V.S. Megaw