Harry Tjutjuna facts for kids

Harry Tjutjuna is an important Aboriginal artist from central Australia. He is part of the Pitjantjatjara people. Harry started painting in 2005. His first art show was in 2007 in Darwin.

Today, his artworks are in big art galleries across Australia. These include the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the National Gallery of Australia. One of his paintings, Ninuku Tjukurpa (which means Bilby Dreaming Story), was a finalist for an art award in 2009. Another painting, Wati Nyiru munu Wati Wanka, was a finalist for two major awards in 2010 and 2011.

Harry's Life Story

Harry Tjutjuna was born around 1930. He was born in the bushland near Pipalyatjara in South Australia. Some people say he was born at Walytjatjara in the Northern Territory. Others say he was born at Mount Davies, a hill near Pipalyatjara.

When Harry was young, his family moved to Ernabella. He went to school there at the mission. Later, he worked as a worker for the community. He then moved back west to live in the communities of Irrunytju and Pipalyatjara. He moved there with his wives and children to be closer to his homeland.

As he got older, Harry became a respected traditional healer, known as a ngangkaṟi. He was also a wise leader, called a wati puḻka, for the Pitjantjatjara people.

Harry started painting in late 2005. He was in his mid-seventies at the time. He was living in Ernabella and began painting for the community's art company, Ernabella Arts. His early paintings showed Tjukurpa, which are traditional stories or laws from the Dreamtime. In 2008, Harry moved back to Pipalyatjara and started working for Ninuku Arts.

His Artwork and Stories

Harry Tjutjuna's paintings show ideas and stories from his Dreaming. His main personal totem is a spider, called waṉka. His Dreaming stories are mostly about the Wati Waṉka Tjukurpa (Spider Man Dreaming).

This Dreaming story was passed down to him from his family. It says that Harry's ancestor is a powerful being called the Spider Man. This Spider Man created Harry's country in the Dreamtime. So, Harry connects his land, his family history, and himself to these beliefs. His paintings tell these traditional stories and also show parts of his own life. Harry sees himself as the Spider Man. His paintings often show his work as a ngangkaṟi (healer). Because his totem is a spider, he uses spider webs to help treat people's skin.

Harry also paints figures from other Dreaming stories. These include the Wati Maḻu (Red Kangaroo Man) and the Kungka Mingkiri (Mice Women). One of his most famous paintings is Wati Nyiru munu Wati Wanka. This painting combines two Dreaming stories. It shows the story of the Kungkarungkara (Seven Sisters). This story is about the constellations of Pleiades (the Sisters) and Orion. Harry painted it from the male's point of view. The painting also includes parts of the Spider Man Dreaming. This artwork was a finalist for two big art awards in 2010 and 2011.

Harry Tjutjuna paints in the style of the Western Desert. This style is very abstract. The figures in his paintings, which are ancestral beings, are often hidden or coded. This is done for cultural reasons. He uses many dots to show how these beings interact. Lines in his paintings show their journeys across the land. He uses earthy colours from the desert, like reds, oranges, ochres, and white. In his paintings about Wati Waṉka, he often paints circular patterns in the background. These patterns show both a spider's web and the spider man's many women. Harry is also known for his drip paintings.