Bandicoot Ancestors Fighting over Fire at Taltaltanyam, made 1979 and printed 1981

76 x 56 cm, 90.5 x 71.5 cm frame

Est. $700 – $1,200

Hammer $450

Provenance: Mal Studio, The Larry Rawling print workshop Edn 20/90 Private Collection, NSW
Artwork story: This print is of great historical significance, created by two senior Pintupi men: Charlie Tjararu and Willie Tjungurrayi, whose names are associated with the foundational years of the Papunya movement. The subject matter is drawn from Taltalpa, where ancestral bandicoots fought over fire - a Dreaming that encodes lessons about sharing, power, and survival. The composition, though printed rather than painted, carries the visual intensity of early Papunya works: concentric circles, journey lines, and pulsing geometries. It reflects not just a story, but a cosmology - an encoded map of laws and consequences. Prints like this are rare and historically significant, often overlooked in favour of canvases but increasingly recognised for their documentary and artistic value. They offer new and seasoned collectors alike a window into the collaborative spirit and narrative depth of early desert art.

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Sale 1 · Lot 85

c.1925 – 1999

76 x 56 cm, 90.5 x 71.5 cm frame

Est. $700 – $1,200

Hammer $450

Provenance: Mal Studio, The Larry Rawling print workshop Edn 20/90 Private Collection, NSW
Artwork story: This print is of great historical significance, created by two senior Pintupi men: Charlie Tjararu and Willie Tjungurrayi, whose names are associated with the foundational years of the Papunya movement. The subject matter is drawn from Taltalpa, where ancestral bandicoots fought over fire - a Dreaming that encodes lessons about sharing, power, and survival. The composition, though printed rather than painted, carries the visual intensity of early Papunya works: concentric circles, journey lines, and pulsing geometries. It reflects not just a story, but a cosmology - an encoded map of laws and consequences. Prints like this are rare and historically significant, often overlooked in favour of canvases but increasingly recognised for their documentary and artistic value. They offer new and seasoned collectors alike a window into the collaborative spirit and narrative depth of early desert art.