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Bobby West Tjupurrula biography  Encyclopedia Australian Aboriginal Artists dictionary of biographies page 417.

Bobby West is a traditional owner of Kiwirrkura and has been the official spokes person for Papunya Tula.  Bobby West Tjupurrula started painting for Papunya Tula Artists in the late 1980s. He has exhibited in 41 group shows, had a solo exhibition at William Mora Galleries, Melbourne in 2002 and has work in 3 public collections at home and abroad. Tjupurrula was a finalist in the 19th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award prior to winning the Telstra General Painting Award this year.

Bobby West is the son of one of the original shareholders of Papunya Tula Artists, Fred West Tjakamarra (now deceased) who was one of the original painters for the Papunya Tula Artists

AWARDS:
2011 Telstra Painting Award in the 28th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award
2003 Artist in Residency Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane, Australia
2001 Pintipi Alice Springs Art Award
1999 Tingari men collaborative painting Kiwirrkurra and Balgo men purchased by the Berlin Museum Germany

COLLECTIONS
Works by Bobby West Tjupurrula (1958– ) the Collection of Art Gallery of NSW
Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin
Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Science, Darwin
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
Art Gallery South Australia, Adelaide
Homes a Court Collection
Kelton Foundation California USA
Art Bank, Sydney
Art Gallery of Western Australia Perth
Art Gallery of New South Wates
Berlin Museum Germany
Booby West work is acknowledged through the world, particularly in Germany, Denmark and America and around Australia.

Bobby West was born circa 1958 at Rockhole site at Tjamu Tjamu which lies east of Kiwirrkurra in Western Australia.

In 1999 Bobby took part in depicting the Tingari story on a collaborative painting by the men from Kiwirkurra and Balgo which was purchased by the Berlin Museum, Germany. The other artists were Jonny Yungut Tjupurrula, Kanya Tjapangati, Patric Tjungurrayi, Tjumpo Tjapanangka and Walala Tjapangati.

In 2006 Bobby took part in Exhibition Rising Stars , Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne.

Dreamtime

• Aboriginal people inherit stories called “dreaming”.  Each story may include songs, ceremonial dances and rituals creating unique beliefs that the Aboriginal people live by. All stories and beliefs are related to the land and thus the land is great importance to them. The land is the keeper of the stories and must be kept safe for all time so that the stories, which are told in paintings, can be preserved. In modern representation is the sacred aspect of painting is not always completely revealed but the meaning, transmitted through symbols remains, and can be understood.

• Aboriginal people believe that the Universe was created by spirits (mystical beings) setting the blueprint for all time the way human may govern their conduct.

• The spirits gathered their food, dug for water, performing ceremonies as the Aboriginal do it today but the landscape stay unchanged.

• During the Creation Time spirits shaped all the landscape; hills and water holes and given humans all the sacred laws. That time was known as “Dreamtime” and it came to the end and their ancestor changed into landscape, they turn into a rock or mountain range, an isolated hill, river or even trees arose to mark the place.

• Aboriginal people look upon these spirits creators as ancestors. Aboriginal believe in an existing connection to their ancestor spirit and to the land. They are spiritual biological beings appreciative of the fragility of the nature and making an effort to live in harmony with the environment. Since every Aboriginal descent of the mythical beings of the “Dreamtime” each person is linked by myth and tribal relationship with the landscape, the rocks and watercourses, and everything else in his tribal country.

Aboriginal Philosophy of life

• The philosophy of life, known as Dreamtime (Tjurrkurpa) is based on tradition conceived by totemic ancestors. Men and women believe to be direct descendants in spirit of “mythical architects” who created the land and different totems; kangaroo, Emu, turkey, lizards and the land in which they live. Aboriginal feel special affinity with their related totem animal species.

• It is believed that sacred ceremonies have to be re-enacted on a regular basis to maintain the animal species and ensure survival of the humans. 

• Each family owns a special area of land and must protect sacred sites representing their personal totems Dreamtime spirits. People travel long distances from all directions to participate in the initiation ceremonies and to educate the young. The journey could last days or several months and women hunt and collect food during the voyage.

• In mythological times a large group of Tingari Men came from the rockhole site of Yunula west of the Pollock Hills in Western Australia. They travelled east to Kiwikurra and then further east passing through Pinari and onto Warlukurlangu, south-east of the Yuendumu Community. The four arcs represent men who were hit by hail-stones and are sitting recovering

Aboriginal Secret language

• A concentric circle represents a waterhole or a meeting place.

• An oval shape symbolize a coolamon which is a wooden bowl used to carry food, water and even babies.

• Didgeridoo originated from a northern part of Australia and it is a musical instrument producing profound and remarkable rhythmic sound. It is made from a hollow small tree or a branch of a tree eaten out by termites.

• Music sticks comprise of a pair wooden sticks and used in ceremonies as a common drumming instrument to keep the rhythm of the song and dance and to accompany the didgeridoo.

• Boomerang are made of mulga-wood and often used by men as a music drumming instrument for ceremonies, there are some variation in length and thickness.

• Returning boomerangs are mainly found in lake and swamp areas used traditionally by men to scare birds from water ways into pre-nests.

• Digging sticks are simple hardwood sticks with sharpen and fired harden point mainly used by women for digging water, lizards, rabbits, witchetty grubs and edible roots.

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