Alma nungarrayi granites biography books
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During this time, Alma worked as a staff member at the local school and attended the Bachelor College, studying to become an accredited teacher assistant for both Warlpiri and English. Alma applied herself and experimented with composition and artistic techniques, while still remaining true and respectful to her Warlpiri culture.
Alma’s work is well represented in a number of Australian and overseas galleries that specialize in quality Aboriginal Art, including the Holmes a Court Collection, South Australian Museum and Artbank.
This painting depicts the story of the seven ancestral Napaljarri sisters who are found in the night sky today in the cluster of seven stars in the constellation Taurus, more commonly known as the Palisades.
It was at school where Alma met Robin Japanangka Granites and they married as soon as they left school.
Astronomy was also the inspiration for important stories across many tribal groups.
This next exhibition Warlpiri Star Gazers opens in Gallery1 from 21 November to 23 December and showcases some of the artists who draw on the stars for their inspiration.
Perhaps the best known of these is the Warlpiri artist Alma Nungarrayi Granites.
In paintings he is often shown chasing them across the night sky. “There is a lot of astronomy used in the Australian Aboriginal culture and it goes way beyond naming constellations and telling stories,” he said.
“The Aboriginals were quite sophisticated, they used the stars to determine how the tides work, how planets move, where to find food.
Alma has 3 daughters and many grandchildren.
In the early years of their marriage, Robin became a well-known artist and travelled the world. In the a final attempt to escape from the Jakamarra the Napaljarri warnu turned themselves into fire and ascended to the heavens to become star. Alma would observe elders visiting the school on a regular basis to teach the younger generation about the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) and associated country.
When Alma stopped working as a teacher’s assistant in 1987, she started painting at the local art centre.
For them, gazing at the stars is about more than making out and naming constellations. She was the daughter of Paddy Japaljarri Sims (Dec) and Bessie Nakamarra Sims (Dec) both founding artists of Warlukurlangu Artists. The Palisades are seven women of the Napaljarri skin group and often depicted in paintings of this Jukurrpa carrying the Japijinpa man 'wardiyka' (the bush turkey (ardeotis australias) who is in love with the Napaljarri-warnu and who represents the Orion's Belt cluster of stars.
However it was not until 2007 that Alma started to paint in earnest. In a final attempt to escape from the Jakamarra, the Napaljarri-warnu turned themselves into fire and ascended to the heavens to become stars.
Other artists represented in our Warlpiri Star Gazers exhibition include; Christine Napanangka Michaels, Murdie Nampijinpa Morris, Nola Napangardi Wilson Fisher, Valerie Napurrurla Morris, Stephanie Napurrurla Nelson, Walter Jangala Brown and many others.
It’s a stunning collection and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Read more: Warlpiri Star Gazers
ALMA NUNGARRAYI GRANITES - SEVEN SISTERS DREAMING
Alma Nungarrayi Granites was born 30th May 1955 and passed away in 2017.
In 2007 she decided to explore her painting skill in more depth; she started working at the art centre every day to produce a body of work that has expanded her knowledge of the dreaming (Jukurrpa) as well as the development of her unique technical artistic style. She painted a large array of stories all of which were passed down to her from her father and generations before him.
In a final attempt to escape from the Jakamarra, the Napaljarri-warnu turned themselves into fire and ascended to the heavens to become stars.
Further information is available on exhibiting artists on the following links
Alma Granites
As the world’s oldest continuous culture, Aboriginal people can make the claim to be the world’s first astronomers.
A good example is the story of the great emu in the sky,” he said.
“It is quite different to normal star patterns, the dark areas within the Milky Way make the shape of a giant emu – almost like a reverse of what we usually see in a constellation.
Artworks
Biography
“I want my art to tell the story of my ancestors and be able to show the world my culture and my traditions.”
Alma Nungarrayi Granites lived in Yuendumu, an Aboriginal community located Northwest of Alice Springs.