Reginald Two Bob Tjungurrayi

Reginald was born about 1938 at Haasts Bluff before the establishment of white settlement in the area. His family had fled to Warlpiri country round Mount Wedge after the 1928 massacre at Coniston. Later they moved to his mother’s country at Haasts Bluff. Two Bob had no formal education. Live several of the other Papunya Tula artists, he was brought across from Haasts Bluff in the early ’60s to the new settlement at Papunya, where he worked in the communal kitchen as a butcher. He was taught to paint by his older stepbrother, Paddy Carroll, at the start of the ’80s. One of a group of younger Warlpiri artists, which also includes Don Tjungarrayi, Maxie Tjampitjinpa and Michael Nelson Jagamara, who started painting at Papunya in this period and have since emerged as major artists for the painting company. Two Bob’s country lies around Three Mile Bore and across to Kerrinyarra – Central Mount Wedge. The Dreaming stories he paints include Goanna, Wati (Man), Karnta (Woman), Bush Tucker, Bush Grapes, Mukaki, Witchetty Grub and Carpet Snake – and others he shares with Paddy Carroll. He and his wife, Nellie Nangala, a Luritja woman (who also paints occasionally) have three sons and two daughters. They lived at Papunya. Two Bob has travelled to Canberra, Sydney and Adelaide with Papunya Tula Artists. Two Bob passed away in 2001.