Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri
BIOGRAPHY
Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri was a foundational figure in the Western Desert painting movement and one of the most influential First Nations artists of the twentieth century. Born near Napperby Station in Central Australia, he was part of the early Papunya Tula group, joining in 1972, and rapidly developed a distinctive and innovative painting style that combined cultural knowledge with inventive spatial design.
Originally trained as a wood carver, Clifford brought a strong sense of form and narrative to his early dot paintings. His work often reflected key ancestral stories inherited through both his mother and father’s Country, including the “Man’s Love Story” and “Bushfire Dreaming.” Over time, he developed a highly complex visual language that wove together cartographic perspectives, ancestral narratives, and figurative elements, all while carefully balancing cultural protocols around the sharing of sacred knowledge.
Tjapaltjarri’s career spanned more than 30 years and included numerous solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. His works are held in major public collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of NSW, National Gallery of Victoria and international institutions. In 2002, shortly before his passing, his career was celebrated in a major retrospective organised by the Art Gallery of South Australia.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his services to Aboriginal art and culture, and in 1990 was granted a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II. While Clifford’s later career was marked by complex commercial pressures and health struggles, his artistic legacy remains profound. He is widely recognised as a trailblazer who opened pathways for future generations of First Nations artists on both national and international stages.
Originally trained as a wood carver, Clifford brought a strong sense of form and narrative to his early dot paintings. His work often reflected key ancestral stories inherited through both his mother and father’s Country, including the “Man’s Love Story” and “Bushfire Dreaming.” Over time, he developed a highly complex visual language that wove together cartographic perspectives, ancestral narratives, and figurative elements, all while carefully balancing cultural protocols around the sharing of sacred knowledge.
Tjapaltjarri’s career spanned more than 30 years and included numerous solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. His works are held in major public collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of NSW, National Gallery of Victoria and international institutions. In 2002, shortly before his passing, his career was celebrated in a major retrospective organised by the Art Gallery of South Australia.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his services to Aboriginal art and culture, and in 1990 was granted a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II. While Clifford’s later career was marked by complex commercial pressures and health struggles, his artistic legacy remains profound. He is widely recognised as a trailblazer who opened pathways for future generations of First Nations artists on both national and international stages.
Awards
2002 | Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for services to Aboriginal art
1990 | Private audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace
1977–1981 | Chairman, Papunya Tula Artists
Selected Publications & Monographs
Johnson, Vivien. The Art of Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Gordon & Breach Arts International, 1994
Johnson, Vivien. Lives of the Papunya Tula Artists, IAD Press, 2008
1990 | Private audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace
1977–1981 | Chairman, Papunya Tula Artists
Selected Publications & Monographs
Johnson, Vivien. The Art of Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Gordon & Breach Arts International, 1994
Johnson, Vivien. Lives of the Papunya Tula Artists, IAD Press, 2008
Exhibitions
Selected Solo Exhibitions
• 1988: Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri: Paintings 1973–1986, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London. This was the first solo exhibition of an Aboriginal Australian artist in a major international institution. Art Gallery of NSW
• 1990: Clifford Possum and the Papunya Tula Artists, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London.
• 2003–2004: Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, a retrospective touring major Australian galleries, including the Art Gallery of South Australia.
• 2004: Binocular: Looking Closely at Country, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney.
• 1988: Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri: Paintings 1973–1986, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London. This was the first solo exhibition of an Aboriginal Australian artist in a major international institution. Art Gallery of NSW
• 1990: Clifford Possum and the Papunya Tula Artists, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London.
• 2003–2004: Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, a retrospective touring major Australian galleries, including the Art Gallery of South Australia.
• 2004: Binocular: Looking Closely at Country, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney.
Group Exhibitions
Selected Group Exhibitions
1988 | Dreamings: The Art of Aboriginal Australia, Asia Society Galleries, New York, USA
1984 | Australian Perspecta, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
1980 | The First National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
1988 | Dreamings: The Art of Aboriginal Australia, Asia Society Galleries, New York, USA
1984 | Australian Perspecta, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
1980 | The First National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
Collections
Major Collections
• National Gallery of Australia
• Art Gallery of New South Wales
• National Gallery of Victoria
• Art Gallery of South Australia
• Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
• British Museum, London
• Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, University of Virginia, USA
• National Gallery of Australia
• Art Gallery of New South Wales
• National Gallery of Victoria
• Art Gallery of South Australia
• Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
• British Museum, London
• Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, University of Virginia, USA
Market Analysis
Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri’s secondary market reached its zenith in the mid to late 2000s, driven by a surge of institutional interest, renewed national pride in Western Desert art, and a buoyant economic climate. In 2005, a total of 37 works were offered, with 25 sold and 12 unsold, resulting in a clearance rate of 67%. Despite the relatively low clearance rate, the total value realised was a substantial A$1,222,181, highlighting the premium prices achieved by a select number of high-quality works.
This momentum continued into 2007, a landmark year in Tjapaltjarri’s market. A total of 65 works were offered, with 38 sold and 27 unsold, representing a clearance rate of 58%. Yet the total value realised leapt to an exceptional A$3,386,120. By far the highest grossing year on record. This was the year Warlugulong (1977) was purchased by the National Gallery of Australia for A$2.4 million, after having sold for just A$39,600 a decade earlier, firmly cementing his legacy and demonstrating the potential for exponential appreciation of blue-chip works with strong provenance.
However, the onset of the GFC in late 2008 had a chilling effect on the broader art market, and Tjapaltjarri’s market has never fully rebounded to those highs. While there have been intermittent peaks — notably in 2019 and 2020 — these have not matched the total sales volumes or the average prices seen in the mid-2000s. In recent years, sales have become increasingly selective, with buyers favouring works with unimpeachable provenance or cultural importance.
The most sought-after Clifford Possum works are those that were painted in the early 1970s, particularly on board and often under the auspices of Papunya Tula Artists; or those exhibited in landmark exhibitions such as Papunya Tula: Genesis and Genius (Art Gallery of NSW, 2000) or the 1988 ICA London exhibition, the first solo show of an Aboriginal Australian artist overseas. Works with these credentials command a premium at auction, often well above average market values, and are more resilient to broader market fluctuations. In contrast, later works without strong documentation or those created after Tjapaltjarri began working independently in the 1980s–1990s tend to be more variable in price, unless they possess outstanding aesthetic and cultural qualities.
With a complex body of work spanning over three decades, authentication remains critical to sustaining market confidence. A small number of works attributed to Tjapaltjarri have raised questions around authorship or workshop involvement.
While Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri’s market has cooled from its earlier highs, his historical importance and cultural significance remain undisputed. As collector taste evolves and the value of First Nations art becomes increasingly institutionalised, it is likely that the best examples of his work — particularly those from the formative Papunya years — will continue to attract scholarly attention and collector demand. The key for buyers and sellers alike is selectivity, provenance, and positioning within the broader narrative of ‘Australian’ art history.
This momentum continued into 2007, a landmark year in Tjapaltjarri’s market. A total of 65 works were offered, with 38 sold and 27 unsold, representing a clearance rate of 58%. Yet the total value realised leapt to an exceptional A$3,386,120. By far the highest grossing year on record. This was the year Warlugulong (1977) was purchased by the National Gallery of Australia for A$2.4 million, after having sold for just A$39,600 a decade earlier, firmly cementing his legacy and demonstrating the potential for exponential appreciation of blue-chip works with strong provenance.
However, the onset of the GFC in late 2008 had a chilling effect on the broader art market, and Tjapaltjarri’s market has never fully rebounded to those highs. While there have been intermittent peaks — notably in 2019 and 2020 — these have not matched the total sales volumes or the average prices seen in the mid-2000s. In recent years, sales have become increasingly selective, with buyers favouring works with unimpeachable provenance or cultural importance.
The most sought-after Clifford Possum works are those that were painted in the early 1970s, particularly on board and often under the auspices of Papunya Tula Artists; or those exhibited in landmark exhibitions such as Papunya Tula: Genesis and Genius (Art Gallery of NSW, 2000) or the 1988 ICA London exhibition, the first solo show of an Aboriginal Australian artist overseas. Works with these credentials command a premium at auction, often well above average market values, and are more resilient to broader market fluctuations. In contrast, later works without strong documentation or those created after Tjapaltjarri began working independently in the 1980s–1990s tend to be more variable in price, unless they possess outstanding aesthetic and cultural qualities.
With a complex body of work spanning over three decades, authentication remains critical to sustaining market confidence. A small number of works attributed to Tjapaltjarri have raised questions around authorship or workshop involvement.
While Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri’s market has cooled from its earlier highs, his historical importance and cultural significance remain undisputed. As collector taste evolves and the value of First Nations art becomes increasingly institutionalised, it is likely that the best examples of his work — particularly those from the formative Papunya years — will continue to attract scholarly attention and collector demand. The key for buyers and sellers alike is selectivity, provenance, and positioning within the broader narrative of ‘Australian’ art history.
