Yannima Pikarli Tommy Watson, a distinguished Aboriginal artist, was born circa 1935 in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Land, a vast territory spanning Western Australia, Northern Territory, and South Australia. Growing up in the semi-arid lands of the Gibson Desert, he developed a profound spiritual connection to his country, learning about its culture and tjukurpa from his family. Initially living a semi-nomadic life with his father, Watson later moved to Ernabella Mission, where he absorbed influences from the introduction of bright acrylic paints and encounters with artists like Albert Namitjira and others at Papunya Tula Art Centre.
In 2001, Watson began painting as a founding member of the Irrunytju Arts Centre, creating abstract works reflecting his spiritual attachment to the land. His paintings, showcased internationally and held in prestigious collections, defy concrete narrative, instead offering meditations on colour and form.
Selected works for The Watson exhibition, curated in consultation with the artist, span from 2005 to the present, showcasing Watson's journey of artistic expression. Through his abstract re-visitations of Pitjantjatjara country, Watson celebrates and captures the essence of his vast and rich homeland.
To have started painting at the age of 66, we might imagine how for Watson, painting replaced earlier, more physical endeavours. It is as though each dot takes the place of a footstep. In this light, his paintings are abstract re-visitations of the Pitjantjatjara country the artist knows so intimately.
Watson truly ‘walked' his country, both physically and emotionally, and he clearly celebrated and captured this vast and rich land in his art. In an era where everything can be downloaded or googled or somehow “known” so easily, it’s a relief to have some quiet moments to contemplate the unknowable.
The selection of the works for The Watson was in direct consultation with the artist and Ken McGregor, who has a long association with the artist and regularly travels to Watson’s studio in Alice Springs. The selection for The Watson spans from 2005 to the present and includes paintings and giclée prints.