Yannima Tommy Watson
Encyclopedia
Yannima Tommy Watson is a senior Pitjantjatjara man from Australia’s central western desert
who has become a significant contemporary Indigenous Australian art
ist. He was born circa 1930s some 44 km west of the tiny isolated community of Irrunytju.
, near the junction of its border with the Northern Territory
and South Australia
.
at in 2001, of which Watson was a founding member, and has since then sprung to prominence both nationally and internationally.
In 2003, Watson was one of eight Indigenous artists, together with Paddy Bedford
, John Mawurndjul
, Ningura Napurrula, Lena Nyadbi, Michael Riley
, Judy Watson and Gulumbu Yunupingu, who collaborated on a commission to provide works that decorate one of the Musée du quai Branly
's four buildings completed in 2006.
In this harsh and ancient country, through the guidance of his father, Watson gained a deep understanding of his physical environment and its relationship with the ancestral stories, collectively known as Tjukurrpa, which have come to form the central element of his paintings.
“My grandfather’s country, grandmother’s country. When they were alive, they would take me around the country, when I was a kid. That dreamtime country. That’s why we look after the country, go out whenever we can, see if the rock-holes are good.”
I want to paint these stories so that others can learn and understand about our culture and country.
Strong vibrant colours such as oranges, burgundy, reds, ivory, blue, pinks (and more recently highlights of green) create unfettered, sumptuous and complex compositions that symbolically represent the stories embedded in his country. The large shimmering dots that surge in waves across the canvas enable one to view the landscape as a topography shaped by its cultural importance.
He is represented commercially by Agathon Galleries. Watson was central to controversy around the role of independent art dealer John Ioannou in the Indigneous art market in the mid 2000s.
Western Desert cultural bloc
The Western Desert cultural bloc or just Western Desert is a cultural region in Australia covering about 600,000 square kilometres, including the Gibson Desert, the Great Victoria Desert, the Great Sandy and Little Sandy Deserts in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia...
who has become a significant contemporary Indigenous Australian art
Contemporary Indigenous Australian art
Contemporary Indigenous Australian art is the modern art work produced by Indigenous Australians. It is generally regarded as beginning with a painting movement that started at Papunya, northwest of Alice Springs, Northern Territory in 1971, involving artists such as Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri...
ist. He was born circa 1930s some 44 km west of the tiny isolated community of Irrunytju.
Life
Watson was born around 1935 west of the community of Irrunytju, also known as Wingellina, in Western AustraliaWestern Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, near the junction of its border with the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
Art
Watson began painting in 2002 following the establishment of the Irrunytju community art centreIrrunytju Arts Centre
Irrunytju Arts is an Indigenous Australian art centre based in the community of Irrunytju , Western Australia. Irrunytju is situated near the tri-state border of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia, approximately 720km south-west of Alice Springs. The landscape is arid,...
at in 2001, of which Watson was a founding member, and has since then sprung to prominence both nationally and internationally.
In 2003, Watson was one of eight Indigenous artists, together with Paddy Bedford
Paddy Bedford
Paddy Bedford was a major contemporary Indigenous Australian artist from Warmun in the Kimberley, and one of eight Australian artists selected for an architectural commission for the Musée du Quai Branly....
, John Mawurndjul
John Mawurndjul
John Mawurndjul is an Australian contemporary Indigenous artist. Mawurndjul's artwork is highly regarded internationally. He uses traditional motifs in innovative ways to express spiritual and cultural values....
, Ningura Napurrula, Lena Nyadbi, Michael Riley
Michael Riley
Michael Riley is a Canadian actor and graduate of the National Theatre School in Montreal, Canada in 1984. Riley's first appearance was in the film No Man's Land...
, Judy Watson and Gulumbu Yunupingu, who collaborated on a commission to provide works that decorate one of the Musée du quai Branly
Musée du quai Branly
thumb|225px|Musée du quai BranlyThe Musée du quai Branly , known in English as the Quai Branly Museum, nicknamed MQB, is a museum in Paris, France that features indigenous art, cultures and civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. The museum is located at 37, quai Branly -...
's four buildings completed in 2006.
In this harsh and ancient country, through the guidance of his father, Watson gained a deep understanding of his physical environment and its relationship with the ancestral stories, collectively known as Tjukurrpa, which have come to form the central element of his paintings.
“My grandfather’s country, grandmother’s country. When they were alive, they would take me around the country, when I was a kid. That dreamtime country. That’s why we look after the country, go out whenever we can, see if the rock-holes are good.”
I want to paint these stories so that others can learn and understand about our culture and country.
Strong vibrant colours such as oranges, burgundy, reds, ivory, blue, pinks (and more recently highlights of green) create unfettered, sumptuous and complex compositions that symbolically represent the stories embedded in his country. The large shimmering dots that surge in waves across the canvas enable one to view the landscape as a topography shaped by its cultural importance.
He is represented commercially by Agathon Galleries. Watson was central to controversy around the role of independent art dealer John Ioannou in the Indigneous art market in the mid 2000s.
External links
- Example of Tommy Watson's work, National Gallery of Australia