Frank Ward Tjupurrula Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1960 -

Frank is Pintupi and comes from a remote community of the Western Desert region and now mostly lives at Kintore, Kiwikurra or Warakurna close to the Northern Territory and West Australian borders. Pintupi artists have emerged as one of the most significant communities in contemporary Indigenous art achieving international prominence.

Frank has participated in various group exhibitions in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. Cicada Trading gallery exhibited his work in the USA in 2005 and 2006. As an elder who paints infrequently his works do not come on the market very often but are keenly sought by collectors /galleries due to their high quality.

Frank depicts designs associated with the rockhole site of Witatapa. In mythological times, 2 male Tingari cousins stopped at this site and held ceremonies before continuing their travels further south west. Since events associated with the Tingari Cycle are of a secret nature, no further detail is given.

The Tingari are a group of mythical characters of the Dreaming who travelled over vast stretches of the country, performing rituals and creating and shaping particular sites. These mythologies form part of the teachings of the post initiatory youths today, as well as providing explanations for temporary customs.