Papunya: A place made after the story
Geoffrey Bardon and James Bardon
The Miegunyah Press
‘Papunya: A Place made after the story’ recounts Geoffrey Bardon’s (1940-2003) journey as a teacher in an Aboriginal settlement at Papunya in Alice Springs in 1971 – the place where his profound experiences with Aboriginal culture and storytelling began. Bardon felt compelled to document the extraordinary knowledge of the Papunya people – their stories of Country and Dreaming through art. Over 18 months, Bardon established the Papunya School and he was integral to the development of the men’s Western Desert Painting Movement. This publication presents an important cultural archive featuring over 500 paintings (some of which no longer exist), drawings and photographs. Detailed texts shed light on the symbols and motifs used in the Western Desert painting style, and biographies share stories of the lives of these painters.
