Mud Springs, Freddie (Ngarrmaliny) Timms,

FREDDIE TIMMS (Australian, 1946-2017) Mud Springs 1999 etching Edition: 15 of 50 73 x 84cm (image) #dimensions (framed) Acquired # 109614

Biography:

Freddie Ngarrmaliny Timms, a Kija painter, was born at the place he is known for – Ngarrmaliny (Police Hole near Foal Creek) on Bedford Downs Station, south-west of Warnum, WA.  Following in his father’s footsteps, Freddie worked as a stockman at Lissadell Station, and continued with this type of work on other stations throughout the Kimberley. It was during this time that he met and worked alongside Rover Thomas , who was to have a lasting influence on him.

Freddie first started painting when he was living with artists from the Warringarri Arts community, south of Turkey Creek.  Although his style is reminiscent of the work by Rover Thomas, he did develop a particular style of composition and inherent narrative; Freddie became known for his topographical visions of country that are in fact, less concerned with ancestral associations, and more with illustrating the experiences of the Gidja people as they encountered colonisation.

Freddie is represented in numerous museum and gallery collections including the National Gallery of Australia (NGA), the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), the Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA), the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), Holmes à Court Collection, UBS Bank (Switzerland), and Aboriginal Art Museum (Utrecht).

Freddie’s work has been shown internationally in Germany, Tokyo, Chicago, Paris, Auckland and Miami.

Artwork:

Mud Springs is a good example of Freddie’s aerial-like landscapes; a sparse expanse articulated by way of a string of white dots or ‘tracks’ across the arid landscape of his country, and a place imbued with spiritual and cultural significance.

Bibliography:

Cubillo, F., Caruana, W., (eds.), Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art : Collection Highlights, 2010, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

Caruana, Wally, Aboriginal Art, 2012, Thames and Hudson