George Bush Tjangala

George Bush Tjangala was a respected Luritja/Anmatyerre artist born around 1940 in Mayilnpa, a remote area in the Northern Territory. He played a key role in the early Papunya painting movement during the 1970s, a foundational period for the development of contemporary Aboriginal art. His works are deeply rooted in cultural knowledge and often depict Dreaming stories connected to bush tucker, plant life, water, spiders, and snakes.

In addition to his artistic contributions, George worked as a police tracker, drawing on his intimate understanding of the land and traditional knowledge. His skills in this area reflected the same precision and deep connection to country that characterise his paintings. 

He was married to fellow artist Doris Bush Nyngarrayi, and together they have raised a family strongly tied to culture and Country. In the mid-1980s, they lived at an outstation at Nyunmanu, in Doris's mothers Country near the Western Australia - Northern Territory border, before later dividing their time between Papunya and Alice Springs. 

George Bush Tjangala's paintings continue to be celebrated for their layered symbolism, bold compositions, and unwavering connection to his ancestral lands. His work is a reflection of lived experience, tradition, and cultural continuity.