Helicopter Tjungurrayi
(born c.1946)
TJURNU, 2011
synthetic polymer paint on linen
120.0 x 80.0 cm
bears inscription verso: artist's name, size and Warlayirti Artists cat. 466/11
Estimate:
$6,000 - $8,000
© Helicopter Tjungurrayi/Copyright Agency 2024
lot details
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills, Western Australia
Private collection, Melbourne, acquired from the above in 2011
Exhibited
WaterMark – the Signature of Life: Aboriginal Art Masterpieces in Hong Kong, The Space, Hong Kong, 6 – 8 September 2012 (illus. in exhibition catalogue)
WaterMark – the Signature of Life: A Collection of Aboriginal Masterpieces, The Arts House, Singapore, 21 November 2014 (illus. in exhibition catalogue, p. 8)
This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Warlayirti Artists which states:
‘Helicopter has painted some of his country located far to the south of Balgo. This is the country where Helicopter was born and spent his formative years. The central circles of the painting represent a number of watersources. These tjurrnu (soakwater) are named from left to right Wangkartu, Ngakalpa and Karrulyar and are places Helicopter would visit as a young man. The country here is dominated by tali (sand hills) as represented by the parallel lines in the painting.’

