LONG TOM TJAPANANGKA

“Long” Tom was born in the area of Lupul Lupul, his father’s country, situated in the Frederick Range near Lake MacDonald which meets the Western Australia border. Haasts Bluff became a cattle station in 1954 where he went from working for the prison by building fences around the cattle station to eventually becoming a stockman. He was the stockman of several cattle stations and then worked as a police tracker; renowned for his outstanding abilities not to lose the tracks he was following thanks to his traditional hunting techniques. After having worked for the police he then happily returned to his wife Marlee and continued working as a stockman which brought him more pleasure.

He has two wives, Marlee Napurrula: whom he has had two children by and the artist Mitjili Napurrula.

In 1993, he commenced painting with acrylics on canvas and was on of the few male painters at Ikuntji Art Centre. His paintings, executed in an art-naïve style, are immediately recognisable. He depicts the places around Haasts Bluff, Mereenie, Winparrku and Yamunturrngu (Mt Liebig) and includes in them emus, perentie lizards, camels and camp dogs. His most popular motif is of Puli Tjunti (Many Mountains) which depict his travel over mountains as a stockman to various regions of the outback. Often these travels would lead to ceremonies involving secret men’s business.

Extracted from:

Aboriginal Artists – Dictionary of Biographies. Central Desert, Western Desert and Kimberley Region. Janus B. Kreczmanski and Margo Birnberg. JB Publishing 2004.)

And

Eva Breur Art Dealer – text by Steve McGrath

http://www.evabreuerartdealer.com.au/tjapanagka_bio.html

HOA0224.LONTw.jpg