Janice Pungautiji Murray - Nomad Art

Artist: Janice Pungautiji Murray
Art Centre: Jilamara Arts and Crafts
Region: Tiwi Islands

Artwork Story

Janice Murray lives at Milikapiti, located on the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin. Her country is Tinganu, her skin group Flying Fox and her dance is Turtle. A member of Jilamara Arts & Crafts, she is well known for printmaking and ochre paintings on paper, linen and bark.

Janice Murray has shown in 42 exhibitions nationally since 1995 including the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory and at the National Gallery in Canberra.

I started painting at Jilamara in 1995. I was born here, in Milikapiti. I have always lived here and ‘grown up’ kids here.

My painting comes from me. It’s from my country, that important story about birds and Purukapali. The designs on body, face and canvas relate to my country, Yimpinari.

I paint Jilamara and birds on canvas, sometimes on barks.

At Jilamara we teach the new generation, show them culture and pass it on to them. We teach them to paint, or they can look at us painting and learn from us. Keep the culture strong.

I went to Germany in 2000 for my art, also Sydney, Grafton, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra for exhibitions and workshops.

I like to work at the art centre, because its good to paint and screen print. Keeps me very busy. Janice Murray

COLLECTIONS HELD:

Fremantle City Council Collection, WA

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

The British Museum England

Darwin City Council, NT

Australian Print Workshop, Melbourne

AWARDS:

1995 12^th NATSIAA, MAGNT Darwin NT

2004 29^th Annual Shell Fremantle Print Award, Fremantle Arts Centre, WA

2006 Peter Bailie Art Award, Flinders University Art Museum, Adelaide, South Australia

2009 26^TH NATSIAA – MAGNT Darwin, NT

2011 Finalist – TOGART Art Award, Darwin

COMMISSIONS:

1996 Crown Casino, Melbourne Victoria.

1996 Australian Print Workshop, Corporate Christmas gift.

2006 Dutch Embassy, Etching Suite

2007 Toga Property Group Waterfront Project, Darwin NT

2010 Toga Property Group Smith St Mall Project, Darwin NT

2011 Urban Art Projects, Toronga Park Zoo sculpture installation, Sydney, NSW

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Bennett, J. ‘Ngingingawala Jilamara kapi purunguparri (Our Bark Paintings), Gallery Monthly Magazine of the National Gallery Society of Victoria, September 1992

Bennett, J ‘Narrative and decoration in Tiwi painting: Tiwi representations of the Purukuparli Story,’ Art Bulletin of Victoria 33, 39-47. 1993

The Body Tiwi Aboriginal Art from Melville and Bathurst Islands, exhib. cat., The University Gallery, University of Tasmania at Launceston 1993

Art of the Tiwi from the Collection of the National Gallery of Victoria, catalogue, NGV Melbourne 1994

People in a Landscape, (catalogue) Australian Print Workshop, Melbourne

Islands in the Sun- Prints by Indigenous Artists of Australia and the Australasian Region Roger Butler & Brian Robinson (Eds) ANG/Thames and Hudson 2001

Roger Butler & Anne Virgo, Place made: Australian Print Workshop, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 2004

Living Tiwi: Tiwi Awuta Yimpangui, Jilamara Arts and Crafts, 2004

Gatherings: A celebration of Indigenous Design, art and craft: Object Magazine #57 2007

Tiwi Shima, Jilamara Arts & Craft catalogue, 2010

Here &/or There: Art from Northern Australia. Jogja Gallery catalogue 2011