Walala Tjapaltjarri

Walala Tjapaltjarri is a celebrated Pintupi artist and a member of the Pintupi Nine — the last Aboriginal family group to live traditionally in the Western Desert before making contact with the outside world in 1984. Born in the Gibson Desert of Western Australia, Walala spent his early life living entirely off the land with his family, navigating Country according to the rhythms of Tjukurrpa (Dreaming Law).

After his family's transition to settlement life at Kiwirrkurra, Walala began painting alongside his brothers, Warlimpirrnga and Thomas Tjapaltjarri, in the late 1980s. He quickly developed a distinct visual language within the Western Desert style, known for his bold geometric forms, strong line work, and the repetition of sacred motifs. His paintings often depict the ancestral stories and ceremonial sites of his homelands, particularly around Marruwa, Mina Mina, and Maruwa, using a structured grid of rectangles and squares to map out sacred terrain.

Walala’s work is rooted in deep cultural knowledge passed down through generations, and his artistic practice serves as both a spiritual and political act of preservation. Through painting, he maintains and shares the stories of his ancestors and their connection to Country, bridging the gap between ancient tradition and contemporary expression.

His artworks have been exhibited extensively across Australia and internationally, gaining recognition for their visual intensity and cultural authority. Walala’s contributions have helped redefine the global perception of contemporary Aboriginal art, positioning the stories of the Pintupi people on the world stage.

Today, Walala Tjapaltjarri is acknowledged as a senior artist and cultural leader. His work continues to speak to the strength, endurance, and sacred complexity of Pintupi culture, and to a way of life lived in harmony with the land for countless generations.