Old Mick Wallankarri Tjakamarra Artworks
The highest-selling artwork by Old Mick Wallankarri, an influential figure in the early Western Desert art movement, was an untitled Rain Ceremony painting that achieved a remarkable $42,000 AUD at auction. Created in 1971 on a notably large piece of composition board, this powerful piece holds significant cultural and spiritual value, depicting an important ancestral ceremony believed to generate rain. As one of the earliest works of the Papunya Tula movement, it is historically important and was carefully documented by Geoffrey Bardon, the art teacher who played a pivotal role in bringing Aboriginal dot painting to national and international prominence.
I specialize in the private treaty sale of early and significant artworks by Old Mick Wallankarri. If you have an example that you wish to have appraised please feel free to send me images and dimensions.
Old Mick: Custodian of important Dreamings
Old Mick Wallangkari was one of the original artists in Geoffrey Bardon’s groundbreaking Papunya painting group, a collective that gave rise to the influential Western Desert art movement. Known for his loose, imprecise style, Old Mick’s work stood in contrast to the more refined techniques of contemporaries like Kaapa Mbitjana, Long Jack Phillipus, Anatjari Tjakamarra, and Johnny Warangkula. The strength of his early paintings lies in the spiritual authority and cultural depth of the Dreaming stories he portrayed. From 1971 to 1974, he primarily worked on inexpensive construction materials like composition board or chipboard, using traditional Aboriginal colours—red, yellow, black, and white. While other artists began experimenting with intricate dot fields, Old Mick maintained a focus on clear traditional motifs, employing dotting techniques only in the background. After 1974, he transitioned to canvas and canvas board, though he continued to use composite board when canvas was unavailable. Unlike many of his peers who began focusing on Tingari ancestor themes, Old Mick remained committed to a diverse range of Dreaming narratives, preserving the depth and variety of his cultural storytelling.
Old Mick Wallangkari Artworks 1971
Corroboree 1971
Synthetic polymer powder paint and natural earth pigments on composition board,
61 x 20.5 cm
UNSOLD
Untitled (Kutitji) (circa 1971)
Synthetic polymer paint on wood,
74 x 21 cm
UNSOLD
Possum Looking for Food in the Sandhills 1971
Synthetic polymer paint on composition board,
33 x 26 cm
Hammerprice: A$30,000
Untitled 1971
Synthetic polymer/powder paint on composition board, bears Stuart Art Centre catalogue number 6026 on the reverse,
63.5 x 40.5 cm
Hammerprice: A$42,000
Tree Corroboree 1971
Natural earth pigments and synthetic polymer paint on composition board, bears Stuart Centre label with artist’s name, Mick Jagamara (sic), and consignment number 6017 on the reverse,
46 x 31 cm
Hammerprice: A$26,000
Old Mick Wallangkari Artworks 1972
Untitled Water and Bush Tucker 1971/72
Synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board, bears Stuart Art Centre consignment number 6015 and the number 15 on the reverse,
48.5 x 30.5 cm
Hammerprice: A$5,500
Big Caper 1972
Synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board,
58.5 x 40.5 cm
Hammerprice: A$20,000
Bush Tucker Story 1972
Synthetic polymer powder paint and natural earth pigments on composition board, bears artists name title and consignment number 12005 on Stuart Art Centre label on reverse of frame,
40 x 30 cm
UNSOLD
Old Man’s Dreaming 1972
Synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board,
61 x 46 cm
Hammerprice: A$24,000
Old Mick Wallangkari Artworks 1973
Untitled 1972-73
Synthetic polymer/powder paint on composition board, bears Stuart Art Centre catalogue number 19392 on the reverse,
65 x 50 cm
Hammerprice: A$10,000
Water and Rainbow, 1973
Synthetic polymer paint on board, 44 x 23 cm,
65.2 x 44.2 cm
Hammerprice: A$19,000
Water Dreaming
Date not recorded but likely 1972-1973
Synthetic polymer paint on fashion board,
53.5 x 20.5 cm
Hammerprice: A$6,500
Water and Rainbow, C1970
sold as 1970 but likely 1973
Synthetic polymer paint on board, inscribed verso: 735815, inscribed on label on verso: Water and Rainbow/ Old Mick Tjakamara/ Loritja Tribe/ Custodian Artist/ OM 735 815,
43.5 x 22.5 cm
Hammerprice: A$4,400
Kangaroo Story at Ulpunu 1973
Synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board, bears signed Papunya Tula Artists catalogue number OM731006 on the reverse,
91.5 x 12.7 cm
Hammerprice: A$3,200
Corroboree at Mount Wedge 1973
Synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board, bears Papunya Tula Artists catalogue number OM730854
91.5 x 13 cm
Hammerprice: A$2,800
Water Dreaming at Karinnyara 1973
Synthetic polymer paint on composition board
No size recorded
Hammerprice: A$7,000
Untitled Late 1970s
Sold as Late 1970’s but likely 1973
Synthetic polymer paint on composition board, bears artist’s name on the reverse,
60 x 46.5 cm
UNSOLD
Women’s Story, (West of Mount Wedge) (1973)
Synthetic polymer paint on artist board,
76 x 38 cm
Hammerprice: A$8,000
Old Mick Wallangkari Artworks post 1974
Mens Dreaming, 1974-1975
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas,
164 x 46 cm
Hammerprice: A$6,500
Women’s Story at Yalukuru 1974
Synthetic polymer paint on composition board,
43 x 57 cm
Hammerprice: A$22,000
Possum Dreaming Hardwood Shield, 1974
A very large heavy beefwood traditional parrying shield. Fully decorated front & back with natural earth ochre in comple,
height: 89 cm
Hammerprice: A$1,600
Wapiti and Yala Impalu 1975
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, bears artist’s name and title on label on reverse, and Papunya Tula catalogue number OM75321,
122 x 79 cm
Mens Dreaming, 1975
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas on board,
41 x 51 cm
Hammerprice: A$2,100
Untitled, c. 1975
Synthetic polymer paint on board,
54 x 37 cm
Hammerprice: A$4,200
Untitled (Kangaroo Story) c. 1975
Synthetic polymer paint on composition board,
79 cm
Hammerprice: A$12,000
Bush Tucker, 1976
Synthetic polymer paint on composition board,
40 x 18 cm;
Hammerprice: A$4,200
‘Honey Ant Dreaming,’ 1976
Acrylic on canvas board,
50.5 x 40 cm
Hammerprice: A$5,000
Intraukauku (c. 1978)
Synthetic polymer on canvas board, bears artist’s name and title on label on the reverse, 50 x 25.5 cm
Hammerprice: A$1,300
Untitled 1980
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, papunya Tula cat. no. OM800944 inscribed on canvas edge,
122 x 61 cm
Hammerprice: A$8,500
[No Title Given] 1980
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, label verso ‘Old Mick Tjakarmarra, Papunya N.T. 1980’ Papunya Tula No. Om 801223,
124 x 60 cm
Hammerprice: A$6,000
Rain Dreaming Story 1980
Synthetic polymer paint on linen, bears Papunya Tula catalogue number OM800610 on the reverse,
61.5 x 41 cm
Hammerprice: A$3,800
Honey Ant Dreaming 1981
Synthetic polymer paint on linen, inscribed verso with Papunya Tula Artists cat. no. OM810125,
116 x 71 cm
UNSOLD
Honey Ant Dreaming, 1981
Natural pigments on linen,
121.5 x 66 cm
Hammerprice: A$8,500
‘Wild Potato Dreaming’
Likely mid 1980’s
Oil on canvas, with Papunya Tula Artists documentation and catalogue number verso, 121 x 60 cm
Hammerprice: A$3,800
Untitled 1984
Acrylic on canvas, inscribed verso with catalogue number ‘OM840621’,
60.5 x 51 cm
Hammerprice: A$1,200
Lawalmanu 1990
Synthetic polymer paint on linen, inscribed verso with artist’s name and Warlayirti Artists cat. no. 344/89 and GA225,
180 x 120 cm
UNSOLD
Old Mick Tjakamarra references
Papunya: A place made after the Story
Early Papunya Artworks and Articles
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