- Artist: Paddy Sims Japaljarri
- Art Centre:
- Region:
Artwork Story
Paddy Sims Japaljarri’s country is west of Yuendumu but he has lived in Yuendumu since he was a young man. When Paddy Sims Japaljarri was young he worked sawing mulga trees for the wood and for fuel for fires. Paddy was also involved with gardening and farming in the Yuendumu district. Paddy is married to Bessie Nakamarra and he is warringiyi (grandfather). All his life he’s been hunting goanna, kangaroo, emu and other animals each day for bush tucker. Paddy has passed his knowledge on to many of the young men. This has also lead to him working at the Yuendumu school teaching jukurrpa (Dreaming), painting, hunting, traditional dancing and bush tucker and has also helped out on excursions out bush, to Alice Springs and to Darwin. Paddy has been painting for Warlukurlangu (the Art Centre at Yuendumu) for many years.
In 1988 Paddy Sims was selected by The Power Gallery, Sydney University to travel to Paris with five other Warlpiri men from Yuendumu to create a ground painting installation at the exhibition ‘Magiciens de la Terre’ at the Centre Georges Pompidou. The trip took place in May 1989 and the painting was received with worldwide acclaim.