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Rover Thomas (Joolama): A Visionary Artist of the Kimberley Rover Thomas (Joolama), born around 1926 near Gunawaggi (Well 33 on the Canning Stock Route) in the Great Sandy Desert, was a significant figure in contemporary Indigenous Australian art. A Wangkajunga and Kukatja man, his life spanned a period of immense change and challenge for Aboriginal people in Australia, experiences that profoundly shaped his unique artistic vision and powerful narrative paintings.
Thomas spent his early life immersed in traditional ways, moving across his ancestral lands, learning the ancient stories, ceremonies, and law of his people. This deep connection to country and culture would become the bedrock of his artistic expression. As a young man, he worked as a stockman on cattle stations across the vast Kimberley region, including places like Texas Downs and Bow River Station, often traversing the rugged terrain that held countless ancestral sites and personal memories. This period of his life, though marked by the harsh realities of colonial impact, also solidified his intimate knowledge of the landscape and its spiritual significance.
A pivotal moment in Thomas's artistic journey came after the devastating Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin in 1974. Following this event, he experienced a series of powerful dreams, or "dreamings," that revealed a new ceremony known as the Gurirr Gurirr. This ceremony, performed with painted boards, depicted the cyclone's path and its impact, as well as the spiritual connections between people and country. It was through the creation of these ceremonial boards that Rover Thomas began to paint, initially using natural ochres on plywood.
His distinctive style emerged from these early works: stark, minimalist compositions often featuring aerial perspectives of the landscape, sacred sites, and significant events. His palette was typically restricted to the earthy tones of natural ochres – reds, yellows, blacks, and whites – reflecting the colours of the Kimberley country itself. His paintings are not merely landscapes; they are powerful narratives, visual maps of memory, history, and spiritual understanding. They recount ancestral journeys, tragic massacres, and the deep emotional connection to his ancestral lands, including places like Turkey Creek (Warmun) and Fitzroy Crossing (Gooniyandi country).
Thomas's art gained significant recognition in the late 1980s and 1990s, both nationally and internationally. He was a leading figure in the Warmun (Turkey Creek) art movement, inspiring a generation of artists with his innovative approach to traditional storytelling. In 1990, he was one of two artists chosen to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale, a testament to his profound impact on the global art scene. His works are held in major collections worldwide, celebrated for their raw power, emotional depth, and overwhelming cultural significance.
Rover Thomas passed away in 1998, but his legacy endures. His paintings serve as vital historical documents, preserving cultural knowledge and sharing the experiences of his people. They are a testament to his resilience, his deep spiritual connection to country, and his extraordinary ability to translate complex narratives into compelling visual forms. His art continues to resonate, inviting viewers to engage with the rich history and enduring spirit of Aboriginal Australia.
Although in ill health, a return to Yelda, the land of his conception and birth inspired his last major creative project which resulted in a series of works exhibited in 1995 at William Mora Gallery in Melbourne. Until his death in 1998, Rover lived as a respected elder in the Warmun community. Rover Thomas was awarded the John McCaughey Prize for the best painting Blancher country, displayed in 1990 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney. In 1991 he represented Australia at the Venice Biennale, with Trevor Nickolls. Rover was the subject of the important solo exhibition Roads Cross: The Paintings of Rover Thomas, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra in 1994.
Rover Thomas Joolama remains one of the most successful Australian artists on both the national and international art scene.
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