George "Hairbrush" Tjungurrayi

Also known as Hairbrush

Born:                 c. 1947 
State:                WA,NT 
Region:               Kiwirrkura, Lake Mackay, Western Desert 
Community:            Kintore 
Outstation:           Karkun, WalaWala, Kilpiny 
Language:             Pintupi 
Social Affiliation:   Tjungurrayi subsection 

Subjects:             Tingari, Kuniya at Karrilwarra 

Collections:
National Gallery of Australia.
National Gallery of Victoria.
Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Art Gallery of South Australia. 
Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, Darwin, N.T.
Musee des Arts d'Afrique et d'Oceanie.
Artbank.
Groninger Museum, The Netherlands.
Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.

Exhibitions:
Solo Exhibitions:
1997 Utopia Art Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
1998 Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
2002 Utopia Art Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
2003 'Paintings from Mamultjulkulnga and Kirrimalunya', 
Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Group Exhibitions: 
2005 - Papunya Tula Artists, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne; 
Decouvrir, Rever, Investir, Australian Embassy, Paris, France; 
Papunya Tula Artists - new work for a new space, Utopia Art Sydney. 
2002 - MERIDIAN: Focus on Contemporary Australian Art, Museum of 
Contemporary Art, Sydney. 
1991/92, Friendly Country, Friendly People, Touring Exhibition, 
through Araluen Centre, Alice Springs. 

Select Bibliography:
Johnson, V., 1994, The Dictionary of Western Desert Artists, 
Craftsman House, East Roseville, New South Wales. (C) 

Note: Named in the 2003 "50 Most Collectable Artist" Australian 
Art Collector magazine.



© Discovery Media, Documentation Pty Ltd, and the Australian 
Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies



Notes:
George "hairbrush" Tjungurrayi was born c.1947 near Kiwirrkurra in the 
Gibson Desert, Western Australia. George commenced painting in Papunya 
about 1976 for Papunya Tula Artists. His older brother Willy Tjungurrayi 
is also a well known Pintupi artist. George is considered one of the 
most respected senior artists from the Western Desert. George's paintings 
most often represent specific sacred sites located in his ancestral 
country associated with Tingari Ancestors which were created throughout 
the "tjukurrpa" or dreamtime. 

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