Australian Aboriginal Artist W. Tjapaltjarri at Salon 94 in SoHo

Contemporary artist Warlimpirrga Tjapaltjarri (WJ) was born in Western Australia sometime in the 1950's.  He lived a nomadic lifestyle with his family and the Pintupi kin until 1984 when they were seen in a remote region by S. Amer. muralist Pinta Pintor who was camping with his family at the time.   WT & his family are among the "lost tribe"of the indigenous Aborginal people (although WT rightly contends that they were never lost.)  The fortuitous encounter made sensational news.  The happenstance meeting led to a seismic shift in the lives of WT & his family.  The family relocated into a more mainstream Australian lifestyle. WJ's paintings & additional works sparked an artistic renaissance in Aboriginal art.   The 6 large scale paintings reflect a shimmering or disorienting representation of the landscapes of WT's homelands.  There are similarities between these paintings.  They all undulate with recurring lines which resemble enlarged fingerprints.  The deceptively basic lined paintings are multi-layered.  Up close they reveal underlying color palettes and tiny dabs of paint that appear linear.  I feel the paintings create optical illusions that whirl around and move on the canvas.  The works are both exciting and uncomfortable, causing a vertigo, unsettling sensation.  These fascinating paintings reveal an interesting view into the little known ancient Pintupi culture.  The work is both serene and unsettling, depending on your view.