Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra

Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra

Malcolm Jagamarra was born in the Australian outback in 1955. He is the son of Minnie Napanangka (passed away) a Warlpiri woman, and Gerry Maloney an Irish bushman. As a child Malcolm lived the traditional way of life and travelled the land on walkabout with his mother and family.


At the time, as part of the ‘Aboriginal Assimilation Program’, all Aboriginal children were taken from their families and placed in white environments. Because of this, Malcolm’s mother would hide him whenever they visited a white homestead.


At the age of six, Malcolm was discovered by the authorities and taken to Adelaide where he spent the next eighteen years. He matriculated from Adelaide Boys High School in 1972 and stared in League Football for North Adelaide until 1975. In 1978 Malcolm returned to Alice Springs and was reunited with his family for the first time since 1960. In 1983 Malcolm underwent manhood initiation ceremonies he had missed as a boy. It was then that he learnt the secret songs and dances of his tribe, the Lander River Warlpiri.


Malcolm’s art evolved from his tribe’s ceremonies. Aboriginal paintings were originally daubed on the ground and on the bodies of the people and were therefore not preserved. Since 1971 they have been preserved in the form of acrylic paint on canvas.


"It has given everyone a chance to learn about Aboriginal Dreamings", says Jagamarra. "Our art reflects not just the land but its mythology, song and dance". The symbols are called "iconography" and are the oldest in the world.


Malcolm was the first Aboriginal artist to use oils on his paintings and he is the leader in his style. Malcolm is considered to be one of the most talented and dynamic Aboriginal artists working in Australia and has been instrumental in forging new directions for traditional arts.


In 1993 Malcolm was commissioned by Telecom Australia to create the paintings that appeared on a series of phone cards in celebration of the UN Year of the World’s Indigenous People.


In 2004 Malcolm was publicly recognised for the painting of a cello for the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition.


Malcolm Jagamarra Maloney designed the highly recognisable logo for Central Art - Aboriginal Art Store. Sabine Haider from Central Art shares a very close relationship with Malcolm Jagamarra. During a six month period in 2008 both Sabine and Malcolm (and partner Narelle) collated a series of important audio interviews on his life and his art.


This artist biography and photograph is copyright protected. Please view our copyright policy if you would like to reproduce this material.

Bibliography:

  • 1988 - Unsung Heroes and Heroines of Australia, Baldwin,S (ed), Greenhouse Publications, Elwood, Victoria
  • A myriad of Dreaming
  • 1994 - Dictionary of Western Desert Artists, Vivian Johnson,Craftsman House, Roseville, NSW
  • Desert Dreamings, Ancient Icons
  • Nangara, The Australian Aboriginal Art Exhibition

Collections:

  • Aboriginal Galleries of Australia
  • Charles Sturt University, Australia
  • Macquarie University, Australia,
  • Australian Embassy, New York, USA
  • Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
  • Berkeley Editions, Australia
  • Professor Fishe Collection, Germany
  • The Kelton Collection, Santa Monica, USA

Exhibitions:

  • 1988 Aboriginal "Dot" Painting, Melbourne
  • 1990 Reichs Museum, The Netherlands
  • 1991 Tribal Art Gallery, Melbourne
  • 1991 Rosequist Gallery, Tucson, Arizona, USA
  • 1991 Throckmorton Gallery, Tucson, Arizona, USA
  • 1991 Bahti Indian Art Gallery, Tuscon Arizona, USA
  • 1991 Stuttgart Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
  • 1991 Rebecca Hosack Gallery, London
  • 1991 Australian Aboriginal Art Gallery Vineyard, Germany
  • 1991 Barbara Gilman Miami, Florida, USA
  • 1991 Malagra's Gallery San Antonio, Texas, USA
  • 1992 Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
  • 1993 Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
  • 1993 Mendelson Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
  • 1994 Wagner Art Gallery, Hong Kong
  • 1995 Malcolm Jagamarra, Brisbane
  • 1996 Nangara Exhibition Belgium
  • 1996 Gauguin Gallery, Singapore
  • 1998 "Sztuka Aborygenow - Art of the Aborigines", Warsaw, Poland
  • 1999 "Tjinytjilpa" Embassy of Australia, Washington, USA
  • 1999 Aboriginal Art Galleries of Australia, Melbourne
  • 2001 Icons of Australian Aboriginal Art, Singapore

Awards:

  • 2001 finalist in 18th Telstra NATSIAA

Art Residences:

  • 1992 - Art Gallery of NSW;
  • Crystal Fahren Hoest Gallery, Hamelen, Germany
  • 1993 (October) - Mendelson Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA;
  • Club Med, Queensland, Australia
  • 1993 - Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, UK
  • 1994 (January) - Global Colours, Sydney, Australia
  • 1995 (April) - Youth Theatre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Media Coverage:

  • SBS Television, Australia
  • Channel 9, Wonder World, Australia
  • ABC 7:30 Report, Australia
  • Qantas In-flight Television, USA
  • Cable Network Television, USA

  • NTD8 Television, NT, Australia
  • The Bulletin (Newsweek), Australia
  • Telegraph Mirror, Melbourne, Australia
  • Antiques and Art Magazine, Australia
  • The Age Newspaper, Melbourne, Australia
  • Inside Melbourne, Sydney, Australia
  • 2SER FM Sydney, Australia
  • The Australian Newspaper
  • Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, Australia
  • Australian Koori Mail, Sydney, Australia
  • Australian Way, Qantas In-flight Magazine
  • The Age Newspaper, Special Edition, Melbourne, Australia

Corporate Designs:

  • Kellogs Australia
  • Hardy’s Wines, Australia
  • Duty Free Shoppers, Sydney, Australia
  • Telecom, Australia
  • Responsible Drinking Campaign, Northern Territory Government, Australia
  • Sand-scapes, USA

Source: © Artist image courtesy by Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra

 

Artist: Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra

Skin Name: Jagamarra

Language: Warlpiri

Region: Willowra

Vendor: Central Art

Dreaming: Jardiwanpa (fire), Ngapa (water), Wardapi (Goanna), Warna ( snake), Wulyparrari (Milky Way), Yarriprir (Green Snake), Ngatijirri (Budgerigar), Napaltjarri-Warna (Seven Sisters), Marlu (Rock Kangaroo), Purruparnta (Frog), Ngarlkirdi (Tree Witchety Grub), Wanakiji and Yakajirri (Bush Tomato), Yarla (Bush Potato), Marnakiji (Bush Lantana), Marlpa (Bush Beans), Pirli- Ngawurrpa (Rock Wallaby)

 

 

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