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| Born |
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1st July 1947 |
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Ninmi |
| Skin |
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Tjungarrayi |
| Language |
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Kukatja |
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| Themes |
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| Pippar country: his mother's country |
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| Ninmi country: his father's country |
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| Tingari |
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| Soak water |
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| Biography |
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| Born at Ninmi, Helicopter learnt from
a young age the location of water sources and how to hunt for bush food.
Helicopter is a 'Maparn' (traditional medicine man) and people travel
hundreds of miles to see him for healing. He is also a respected painter
alongside his wife Lucy Yukenbarri. In the early 1990s he painted with
his wife, not seeking any acknowledgement. |
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| Since 1994 Helicopter has been painting
on his own in a distinctive linear style that emanates from the central
feature of a soak water. Helicopter travelled widely during the mission
days to pick up supplies (Broome, Alice Springs, Wyndham). There are many
stories of the endless tasks performed on the Mission; drilling for water,
cutting timber for fencing, fixing the windmill. More recently, Helicopter
has travelled with his paintings to Darwin, Adelaide and Melbourne. He
remains dedicated to painting his country and the country of his mother
and father where he lived a nomadic life as a young boy. |
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| Solo exhibtions |
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| 1999 |
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Tjurrnu: Living
Water, Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne |
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| Collections |
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Gantner Myer Collection
Laverty Collection
National Gallery of Victoria
Kluge Ruhe Collection, USA
Edith Cowan University
Harland Collection
Ken Thompson and Pierre Marecaux Collection
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| Awards |
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| 1999 |
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Special Commendation, East Kimberley
Art Awards, Kununurra Arts Council, Kununurra |
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