Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri

Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri was born at Napperby Station, North West of Alice Springs to Tjatjiti Tjungurrayai and Long Rose Nangala. He lived a very traditional bush upbringing in his youth in the Jay Creek area and later became a stockman. He is from a family of artists, both his stepfather and brother having artwork displayed on Australian postage stamps. Another older brother, Cassidy, was also a painter and a respected elder in his community.

Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri began his art career with wood carving and would carve snakes and goannas. When acrylic painting came to the Papunya area in the early 1970's, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri emerged as one of the first artists to be involved in the Western Desert Art Movement.

Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri passed away in June 2002 not long after being officially recognised for all his work and contribution to the Aboriginal Art and Culture in Australia. He was to be sworn in as an officer of the Order of Australia.

OCEANIC: Land and Sea; Gods and Men

Group Show

24 September - 25 November 2018

London

Inside Oceanic, an aboriginal art exhibition at Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, featuring works by Pacific Ocean artists such as Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Mathias Kauage and Dennis Nona.

Australia: People and Places

Group Show

19 September - 29 November 2013

London

To coincide with the major exhibition of Australian Art at the Royal Academy, London, this autumn, the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery is mounting a survey show of modern Australian art celebrating the land and the people of the great southern continent. In Australia, man stands in a special and peculiar...