Janet Koongotema

Janet Koongotema is 85 years of age and a highly respected Wik-Mungkan elder from the Winchanam Clan. She is very skillful with her hands having spent a lifetime using them to collect and prepare natural fibres to create dilly bags and pandanus fruit bowls. Her string works are recognised across the country for their elegant and colourful forms.

Since 2010, Janet has adapted her weaving skills across to painting. Her use of traditional knowledge is apparent in all of her works. She uses dramatic colour compositions to depict her tribal Country on the Big Archer River near Aurukun. A recurring theme in her paintings is the Dilly Bag Story of which, among others, she is Boss for.

Janet is a finalist in Telstra NATSIAA 2023, Museum and Art Gallery NT, Darwin, NT and the Wynne Prize 2023, Art Gallery New South Wales, Sydney, NSW

Janet is working on a new gallery partnership between Wik & Kugu and Singapore-based Redot Fine Art Gallery.

 

AWARDS:

2023.           The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair ‘Premier’s Award for Excellence’, 2023

 

EXHIBITIONS:

(Solo )       

2023           Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Redot Fine Art Gallery

2011            Wanchinth Ma’ Min, Andrew Baker Art Dealer, Brisbane, QLD

 

(Group)

2023             Telstra NATSIAA 2023, Museum and Art Gallery NT, Darwin, NT

                     Wynne Prize 2023, Art Gallery New South Wales, Sydney, NSW

 

2022             Yuk Wuy Min Ngantamp, The Brunswick Street Gallery, Vic

 

                      Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Qld

 

2021             Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Qld

 

2020             Ach Min, Coral Street Art Space, Victor Harbor, SA

 

 

2019             Painted Stories: Linking Country, Art and Culture for Language

Revival,  Tarnanthi, Hahndorf Academy, SA

 

2018             The Heysen Prize for Landscape, Hahndorf Academy, SA

 

2013             Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Qld

 

2012           The Long Tide, Contemporary Ghostnet Art, Artisan, Fortitude

Valley, QLD

 

The MHS (The Mental Health Conference), Centre for Rural and

Remote Mental Health Queensland, Cairns Conference Centre, QLD

 

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, QLD

 

2011           Aurukun Artists,  Japingka Gallery,  Fremantle, WA

 

Aawach Pi’an (Big House), Alcaston Gallery – Melbourne, VIC

 

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, QLD

 

 2010          Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, QLD

 

Aurukun Artist Group Exhibition, Canopy, Cairns, QLD

 

Work in Progress, Artworks from Creative Recovery, CRRMH, The

Tanks, Cairns, QLD