Collection: Dr George Ward Tjapaltjarri

‘Dr’ George Ward Tjapaltjarri had no contact with western civilisation until 1963 when, as part of a small group of Pintubi people, he was located near Puntujarrpa (Jupiter Well) in the remote Gibson Desert in Western Australia. He was estimated to be well into his thirties.

Tjapaltjarri spoke very little English and had no desire to learn. His interests lay more in imparting his extensive knowledge of the environment, nature, bush crafts and traditional healing to his community and interested parties.

He had been referred to as “The Doctor” for many years because of his skills in traditional healing and his extensive knowledge of bush medicines and was a revered ‘medicine man’.

He was also an important Pintupi Elder and was responsible completing the initiation of young men into the traditions and ceremonies of their way of life and the cultural knowledge, and sacred ancestral dreaming sites connected to the ‘Tingari Cycle’.

Dr George Ward was amongst the first Central Australian artists to start painting traditional designs on canvas. His heritage and personal history of walking desert floors as his ancestors had done before him for thousands of years has contributed to his works being considered extremely collectable.

Sadly, Dr George Ward Tjapaltjarri passed away in 2017.

'SENIOR ARTISTS OF THE WESTERN DESERT' (JUNE 2024)