Timmy Payungka Tjapangati

Timmy Payungka was a distinguished Pintupi artist and senior law man associated with the influential Papunya Tula Artists movement. Born around 1942 near Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay) in Western Australia, he spent his early life living traditionally on his ancestral lands before his family was relocated to Papunya in the early 1960s. There, he became one of the original painters encouraged by teacher Geoffrey Bardon during the birth of the Western Desert art movement.

Payungka’s paintings drew upon sacred Dreaming stories, ceremonial knowledge, and the landscapes of Pintupi country. A respected cultural leader, he was renowned for sharing stories connected to the land and for advocating the return of Pintupi people to their homelands, including Kintore and Kiwirrkura. His important work Kangaroo and Shield People Dreaming at Lake MacKay became central to the landmark 1994 “carpets case,” which helped establish legal protections for Indigenous copyright in Australia. His artistic and cultural legacy continues through his family and the enduring significance of his work.