014
Turkey
Tolson Tjupurrula
Pintupi (ca.1938–2001)
Straightening Spears at Ilyingaungau, 1998
synthetic polymer paint on linen
125 x 195cm
PROVENANCE
Creative Native, Fremantle, WA, cat.no.TTT 05/98; accompanied by original
certificate of authenticity
Private Collection, Perth
Exhibited
The Tjukurpa Collection: An exhibition of Aboriginal paintings from remote
desert communities, Central TAFE Art Gallery, Perth, 31 August –
12 September 2001.
Documentation reads
This painting represents a story associated with artist’s distant
ancestors at Ilyingaungau, a rocky outcrop far to the west of Alice Springs.
In the Dreamtime, a large group of men (the Mitukatjarri Men) travelled
from a claypan at Tjukula to Ilyingaungau where they made camp. At the
same time a group of men entered the country from Tjikari (country to
the north) and the Mitukatjirri Men put up a challenge for a fight. The
Tjikari Men, who were great fighters, accepted the challenge. After the
fight the Mitukatjirri Men who had won the battle travelled to a nearby
cave at Mitukatjirri where they had their ceremonies. The spears are depicted
by the parallel bands.
The painting is also a depiction of the spears being straightened, and
the repetition involved in the crafting of spears. This is a long and
arduous process and requires great skills and strength. A tree known as
‘Spearbush’ (Pandatoxylon doratoxylon) is used to make the shaft,
as the wood is lightweight, very strong and can be readily straightened
and hardened over a fire.