Janet Long
Artist’s Statement
In 2003 after a period of apprenticeship and women’s law she was given permission by the Warlpiri elders to paint stories about Ngapa (of Water Dreaming). In these paintings Janet depicts the underground water flow at Warntapari. It is a place where ceremonies are performed. In her paintings she uses traditional iconography to represent soakages in the land. Her paintings are detailed with intricate dotting which flows across the canvas. She uses a topographical view of the land to connect the water soakages and the travelling that her ancestors had to make to ensure their survival and access to water.
Biography
Janet Long Nakamarra was born in 1960 at Anninie on her traditional homelands of Warntapari, near Willowra Community in Central Australia. She grew up living a traditional lifestyle with her family. She was introduced to art depiction through observing her aunt’s May and Molly Napurrula and learnt how to paint traditional body paint design for her Warntapari Dreamings. Janet is the daughter of fellow artist, Nora Long Nakamarra, sister to Doreen Dickson Nakamarra and half sister to well known and talented artist Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra. Central Art has a large collection of Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra’s artworks as well as paintings from Nora Long and Doreen Dickson.
Influences
Janet has a deep knowledge and understanding of language and she uses this to her advantage through her paintings. Like no other artist she is able to translate her Dreaming stories onto canvas without losing any of the vital and sacred cultural knowledge. She is able to tell stories of the mythology of Warlpiri people in a way that anyone is able to understand and learn. Janet sees this as a way of teaching people about her culture.
Exhibitions
Janet’s paintings can be found in several well known art collections in Australia as well as at the Australian Embassy in New York, USA. She has had several solo exhibitions as well as been involved in multiple group exhibitions around Australia and overseas in Germany, China, Hong Kong and the USA.
Showing the single artwork
