The Gibson Desert: Spiritual geography of Australian Aboriginal art

The Gibson Desert is much more than a mere arid expanse in Western Australia: it is the spiritual heartland of the Pintupi people and the birthplace of some of Australia's greatest contemporary Aboriginal artists. This inhospitable region, with its extreme temperatures and scarcity of water, has forged a culture of exceptional resilience and given rise to Aboriginal art of unique spiritual depth. From Bob Gibson Tjungurrayi to George Ward Tjungurrayi, and from Wentja Morgan Napaltjarri to Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula, the masters of the Gibson Desert have transformed their intimate knowledge of this territory into paintings that captivate collectors worldwide.