Papunya Tula facts for kids

Papunya Tula Artists is a special group of Aboriginal Australian artists. It is like a team or a "co-operative" that is owned and run by Aboriginal people. These artists come from the Western Desert area of Australia.

This group is very famous for creating a unique style of art. It is often called "dot painting." Papunya Tula Artists are known for helping Aboriginal art become famous around the world. The first artists started painting in a town called Papunya. Today, the company is based in Alice Springs.

How Papunya Tula Artists Began

The story of Papunya Tula Artists started in 1971. A school teacher named Geoffrey Bardon worked in Papunya. He taught children to paint a large picture, called a mural. They used a style similar to traditional body and sand art.

Aboriginal people have always made paintings and designs. These artworks tell stories and songs about the Dreaming. The Dreaming is a very important part of their spiritual beliefs. In 1972, some men from Bardon's classes formed the co-operative. They began painting spiritual designs. But they used new tools, like acrylic paints on canvas.

Art and Sacred Stories

As this new art style became popular, some Aboriginal people worried. They felt the artists were sharing too many secrets from their sacred legends. In the Western Desert, people believe that some knowledge is powerful and should only be known by certain people. This knowledge is usually shared after a special ceremony called initiation. This happens when the community decides someone is ready.

Because of these concerns, the artists made changes. They removed or changed any detailed images of sacred symbols. In all their artworks since then, these special images have been hidden or left out completely.

Growing and Gaining Fame

In the late 1970s, many people from Papunya moved back to their traditional lands. But the Papunya Tula Artists company kept growing. It moved its main office to Alice Springs.

In 1987, a big art museum, the National Gallery of Victoria, bought eleven paintings. These paintings were made by an artist named Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri. As this art became more popular, its value also grew. In 2007, a single painting by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri broke a record. It sold for £1.03 million, which was more than double the previous record for Aboriginal art.

Women Artists Join In

At first, all the artists who started the company were men. In the early years, the men did not want women to paint. However, many women really wanted to be part of the art movement. In the 1990s, a large number of women began to create their own paintings. Their work added new styles and stories to the Papunya Tula art.

• Papunya Tula art movement of the Western Desert , Australian Government portal