Maxie Tjamitjinpa

Maxie Jampitjinpa was a highly respected Warlpiri artist and an important innovator within the contemporary Western Desert art movement. Born around 1945 at Haasts Bluff, west of Alice Springs, he grew up between traditional Aboriginal culture and the changing world of government settlements such as Papunya. After working in a range of jobs including health work, driving, and police tracking, he returned to Papunya in the late 1970s and began painting under the guidance of senior artist Old Mick Jackamarra.

Maxie became known for his bold experimentation and distinctive “flicked” or “telephone booth” painting style, which moved away from conventional Papunya symbolism toward more abstract, expressive surfaces. His innovative approach challenged expectations of Aboriginal art while remaining deeply connected to ancestral Dreaming stories and country. In 1984, his award-winning painting Happenings at Leibig helped establish Indigenous Australian art within the broader contemporary art world. Today, Maxie is remembered as a pioneering artist whose work expanded the possibilities of Western Desert painting.