Yannima tommy watson biography of william hill

Tommy Yannima Watson c is a major Pitjantjatara artist, born in desert country west of Irrunytju, or Wingellina, in Western Australia. Tommy is a Law man of Karima skin group, and his traditional names of Yannima and Pikarli relate to specific sites near his birthplace at Anumarapiti, west of Irrunytju. Tommy went to live at Ernabella Mission, and took the surname Watson in addition to his Aboriginal birth name, thus becoming Tommy Yannima Pikarli Watson.

As a young man Tommy learned the bush skills of hunting and gathering, living off the land around Ernabella, the Musgrave Ranges and further to the Petersham Ranges. In these years his knowledge of the country was deeply embedded with both the physical and spiritual meanings of the land. Tommy Watson first met white people at Ernabella Mission in the s, then moved to a life in the bush until adult years when he worked as a stockman and labourer on cattle stations.

Later in his mid 60s, Tommy Watson began painting at Irrunytju art centre with a small group of artists who set up there in His work became highly collectable and his reputation continued to strengthen.

One of Australia's greatest

In he was among eight Aboriginal artists whose work was integrated into the Musee du quai Branly building in Paris. Receiving critical acclaim, both across Australia and internationally, art critics have drawn parallels between Watson and Western Abstract painters such as Kandinsky, Mondrian and Rothko. In order to respond to your enquiry, we will process the personal data you have supplied in accordance with our privacy policy available on request.

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