Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri
Born c. 1932 on a creek bed on Napperby Station 200km north west of Alice Springs, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri received no formal education. Clifford spent his early years as a stockman during which time he also became an accomplished wood carver. Whilst in Papunya in early 1970s, he was persuaded to join Geoffrey Bardon's Papunya Artists group by his brother, Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri.
Clifford Possum was a pivotal figure in the development of aboriginal art as we know it today, initially through his refinement of dot art and later via his exploration of increasingly complex and diverse iconography. He is particularly noted for his series of five map style paintings which gave an indigenous perspective of the geography of his country. One of those paintings, Warlugulong (1977), recently broke the auction record for Australia aboriginal art, selling for $2.4 million at Sothey's.
Chairman of Papunya Tula Artists from 1980 to 1983 and again in the late 1980's, he went on to exhibit in Australia and overseas and was awarded the Order of Australia for his services to art and the indigenous community. He died in 2002 in Alice Springs.
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