2022 Alfonso Puautjimi: Tiwi Artist

Alfonso Puautjimi Tiwi Artist

Aboriginal & Pacific Art is delighted to present

Alfonso Puautjimi Tiwi Artist In association with Ngaruwanajirri Inc, Wurrumiyanga, Bathurst Island, NT

3 - 26 February 2022

Cover page: Alfonso Puautjimi, ‘Grey Bike’, 566-21, Natural ochre on Saunders paper, 38 x 57.5 cm

Trailer, Plane Houses and Car Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 55.5 x 35 cm #2-21

Alfonso Puautjimi: Alfonso Puautjimi (1969- ) is an established artist who has worked at Ngaruwanajirri Inc. for over 20 years, having started painting with the group in 1997. He is one of the many artists there with a distinctive and individual style of expression, and whose painting has moved from strength to strength over the past decade.

The subject matter of his stylistically individual ochre paintings is drawn from his every day environment: including figures in the painting studio, houses, planes, cars and bicycles. Alfonso uses broad brush strokes, generous paint application and applies black lines over large areas of rich colour. His paintwork has a strong textural effect, making these unique works strong and dynamic.

Alfonso’s works have been exhibited and collected across Australia for over two decades.

Plane, Houses & Bus Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38 cm #21-21

Trailer, 3 Houses and Bus Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38 cm #491-21

Yellow Bike Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 57.5 x 38 cm #462-21

Trailer, 3 Houses and Bus Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38 cm #506-21

Red Bike Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38 cm #460-21

Plane, Houses, Trees & Bus Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 57.5 x 38 cm #504-21

Yellow Bike Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 57.5 x 38 cm #502-21

4 Cars & 4 Trailers Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38 cm #505-21

Grey Bike Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 57.5 x 38 cm #566-21

Still Life with Figure, Tutini & Bird Carvings Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 57.5 x 38 cm #507-21

Orange Bike Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38 cm #91-21

Plane, Houses & Truck Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 57.5 x 38 cm #564-21

Houses, Turck & Trailer Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 57.5 x 38 cm #47-21

Plane, Houses, Car & Trailer Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38 cm #83-21

Still Life Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38.5 cm #674-21

Still Life Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38.5 cm #675-21

Grey Bike Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 38 cm #6-21

Green Bike Natural Ochre on Saunders Paper, 58 x 39 cm #879-15

Joy’s Bike Natural Ochre on Arches paper, 76 x 56 cm #602-11

ALFONSO PUAUTJIMI Biography Date of Birth: Dance: Skin Group: Workshop: Medium:

16 . 11 . 1969 Dingo Sun Ngaruwanajirri Inc, Nguiu, Bathurst Island, N.T. Natural ochres on Arches paper, acrylic and natural ochres on canvas,Batik on silk, lino block design and watercolour on Canson paper.

Alfonso has been painting with the Ngaruwanajirri group since 1997. Subject matter of his paintings is drawn from his environment : Tutini (pukumani poles), carved heads, figures and birds as still life groupings, local landscape including trees, boats, planes and cars and patterns. Alfonso uses bold brush strokes, generous paint application and applies black lines over broad areas of colour, finishing with dots and lines in colour. His paintwork has a strong textural effect.

Exhibitions:

:

“Tayikuwapi”, All Ngaruwanajirri Group exhibition, Coomalie Cultural Centre, Batchelor, N.T. August-September 2002.

“Ngaruwanajirri –Paintings by Tiwi Artists”, Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, N.S.W. December 2002.

“Ngaruwanajirri Yirrara” Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney. November- December 2003.

“Yirrajirrima”, Raft Artspace, Darwin, N.T. March- April 2004.

“The Batchelor Collection 1994-2004.” Darwin Supreme Court Foyer, Darwin. September 2004.

“Ngaruwanajirri 2005”, works on paper. Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, N.S.W. 26th November-10th December 2005.

“Ngaruwanajirri Artists at Raft II” Raft Artspace, Darwin, N.T. 9th- 23rd December 2005.

“Alfonso Puautjimi Recent Works”, William Mora Galleries, Richmond, Victoria. 2nd-27th May 2006.

Supreme Court, Darwin. A Ngaruwanajirri Group exhibition. August 2006. Part of the festival of Darwin.

Exhibitions:

Tiwi Art” Raft Artspace, Darwin, N.T. December 2006- February 2007.

Short St Gallery, Broome, W.A. A 3 man show with natural ochre works on canvas by Alfonso, Lorna Kantilla and Estelle Munkanome. 15th June 2007.

“Yirrinkiripwaja”,A Ngaruwanajirri Group exhibition, FAC Gallery, University of Wollongong, N.S.W. 8th – 26th October 2007.

“Works on Paper and Canvas” by Alfonso Puautjimi, Estelle Munkanome and Lorna Kantilla.

Raft Artspace, Darwin, N.T. 3rd-24th November 2007.

“Ngaruwanajirri Yikurri” Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney. Natural ochres on canvas and paper. 29th November- 20th December 2007.

“New work from the Tiwi Islands”, SoMA Galleries, Norwood, S.A. Exhibition in conjunction with Tiwi Design, Jilamara and Munupi. Natural ochres on Arches paper. 1st-30th March 2008.

“Recent Works by Lorna Kantilla, Estelle Munkanome, Alfonso Puautjimi”, Raft Artspace, Darwin.

2nd-18th December 2008.

“Tokwampini Tiwi Bird Carvings”, carvings and paintings at Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney.

3rd-20th December 2008.

Lorna Kantilla, Estelle Munkanome and Alfonso Puautjimi. Raft artspace, Darwin. 6th November to 28th November 2009.

Nomad Art, ACT June 2010. Natural ochres on Arches paper by Alfonso Puautjimi, Estelle Munkanome and Lorna Kantilla.

Ngaruwanajirri@Outstation , Parap, N.T. June 2010. Natural ochres on canvas and Arches paper by Alfonso, Estelle Munkanome and Lorna Kantilla.

“Arampini: Artists from the Tiwi islands” 8th July-11th August 2010. Ngaruwanajirri artists and artists from Munupi Arts (Melville island) Natural ochres on Arches paper. NAS Gallery, National Art School, Darlinghurst, Sydney.

Kapala . Short St Gallery, Broome, WA. Alfonso works on paper with works by other Ngaruwanajirri artists. August 2010.

No Words Necessary. New Tiwi works by Conrad Tipungwuti, Estelle Munkanome, Alfonso Puautjimi.

20th October to 20th November 2010. Suzanne O`Connell Gallery, Australian Indigenous Art, Newfarm, Queensland.

Raftartspace Christmas show. 10th December 2010. Raft artspace, Alice Springs, N.T. with works by Alfonso, Estelle Munkanome and Lorna Kantilla. `Ngaruwanajirri : helping one another` Charles Darwin University Art Gallery, Casuarina, NT. 10th August to 7th October 2011.

Exhibitions:

A retrospective exhibition of works by all Ngaruwanajirri artists. `Good Strong Powerful`- Artback NT exhibition. Travelling Australia from 2011 to August 2013.

Alfonso Puautjimi, Lorna Kantilla and Estelle Munkanome. `Stable Ground` -Artback NT exhibition, Chan Contemporary Art Space Darwin, August 2013 in conjunction with Good Strong Powerful final exhibition. `Alfonso & Jane` Nomad Art Darwin NT 8th-29th November 2013. Works by Jane Tipuamantumirri and Alfonso Puautjimi. `Alfonso Puautjimi: Tiwi Artist `. Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Waterloo, Sydney. 11th – 25th April 2015. `Ngawila Jilamara` 5th-10th August 2016. Double Tree by Hilton, Darwin. Presenting new works by artists from Munupi Arts, Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association and Ngaruwanajirri Inc. ‘Yirringinkiri Pwoja’ Group exhibition with works by artists from Munupi Arts, Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association and Ngaruwanajirri Inc. Double Tree by Hilton. The Esplanade, Darwin.11th17th August 2017. Ochre works on canvas by Alfonso.

“Nginingawula Awirankini Waki Group exhibition with Jilamara and Munupi from Melville Island at the Hilton Double Tree Darwin.10-16th August 2018.

“Pupuni Jilamara Nginingwula Group exhibition with Jilamara Arts and Munupi Arts Hilton Double Tree 9-15th August 2019 Alfonso at Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney November-December 2019. Natural ochres on paper.

Short St Gallery Broome WA. Group exhibition with works by Alfonso, Lorna Kantilla, Jane Tipuamantumirri and Alexandrina Kantilla. April 2020.

“Tiwi” at NGV Melbourne November 2020- March 2021. 4 works on paper by Alfonso.

Collections :

Art Collection at the Batchelor Institute, Batchelor, N.T Lam Collection, University of San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA Charles Darwin University Art Collection, Casuarina, Darwin, NT. University of Newcastle Art Collection, Newcastle, NSW.

Alfonso Puautjimi Tiwi Artist 3 – 26 February 2022

Aboriginal & Pacific Art, Sydney in association with Ngaruwanajirri Inc, Wurrumiyanga, Bathurst Island, NT

All images and text copyright the Artist and Ngaruwanajirri Inc. Courtesy of the artist and Ngaruwanajirri Inc.

Aboriginal & Pacific Art, 1/24 Wellington Street, Waterloo, NSW, 2017 Australia Ph: +61 2 9699 2211 E: info@aboriginalpacificart.com.au W: www.aboriginalpacificart.com.au