Jimmy Pike – Desert Designs 1981 – 1995

This exhibition told a unique story of the evolution of a remarkable body of works created by Jimmy Pike. Pike was born around 1940 in the Great Sandy desert, and as a young adult, worked in the Kimberley cattle industry. In 1980, he began his career as an artist, and through his art, he captured the imagination of the Australian public and attention in the international fashion arena, with acclaim for his art and use of colour. His Walmangarri cultural heritage and his traditional country – the Great Sandy Desert in the far north of Western Australia – allowed him to embrace within his art work the unique physical and spiritual essence in an area of extreme isolation.