‘Worm Dreaming’
by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri

AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL PAINTING BY CLIFFORD POSSUM TJAPALTJARRI (1932 – 2002)

Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri is one of the most collected and internationally renowned Australian Aboriginal artists.

Title: Worm Dreaming

Size: Approx 123cm x 81cm

Medium: Acrylic on canvas

Year: 1997

Born at Napperby Station 200km north west of Alice Springs, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri received no formal education, but during his early years worked as a stockman and became an accomplished wood carver. In the early 1970s, he was persuaded to join Geoffrey Bardon’s Papunya Artists group by his brother, Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri.

Clifford Possum was a pivotal figure in the development of aboriginal art as we know it today. One of his paintings, ‘Warlugulong’ (1977), broke the auction record for Australia aboriginal art, selling for $2.4 million at Sotheby’s.

He was Chairman of Papunya Tula Artists from 1980 to 1983 and again in the late 1980’s. He exhibited in Australia and overseas and was awarded the Order of Australia for his services to art and the indigenous community. He died in 2002 in Alice Springs.

Clifford Possum has works displayed in galleries and private collections throughout the world, including the National Gallery of Australia (Canberra), National Gallery of Victoria, Flinders University Art Museum, Victorian Centre for the Performing Arts, Parliament House (Canberra), Pacific Asia Museum (Los Angeles), University of WA Anthropology Museum, Art Gallery of NSW, SA Museum, Broken Hill Art Gallery, Araluen Arts Centre (Alice Springs), Robert Holmes a Court Collection.
His works by are well sort after and are highly collectable.