Bob Gibson Australian, Ngaanyatjarra, b. 1974

Bob Gibson Tjungarrayi was born at Papaya in 1974, before moving with his family to Tjukurla during the Papunya Tula movement of the 1980s, where many Ngaanyatjarra people moved to be closer to their ancestral homelands. Bob's mother Mary Gibson, also a leading Tjarlirli ar????tist, is from the country of Kulkurta, his father’s country was near Patjarr.

Bob has been painting with Tjarlirli Art since 2007 and quickly found a unique rhythm and approach to painting; bold colours and an inimitable freedom, expressing ancient stories with contemporary flair. Bob is a vibrant character who is well loved within his community and offers support to many family members. He is a keen Sydney Swans supporter and loves listening to all music, especially the local bush bands.

Looking at a Bob Gibson painting feels a little like spending time with the artist himself. Bob’s bold, playful presence in the studio is contagious; each canvas brings wild shapes and expressive line met with decisive mark-making and confident realisation of country. His highly unique representations of tjukurpa are an intersection of traditional storytelling and a spirited contemporary artisic practice. This work is important as it speaks to the complex layers and tensions between cultural, historical and modern influences.