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Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra (1932-2020) was a monumental figure in contemporary Australian art, he is an absolute titan of contemporary Australian art.

As one of the "First Eleven" senior law men who painted the initial historic murals at Papunya under Geoffrey Bardon, he literally helped ignite the entire Western Desert art movement. His legendary early boards command over $230,000 at auction and his masterpieces are held in the world's most elite institutions (like The British Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York).

Awards: (1983) the Northern Territory Golden Jubilee Art Award, (1984) Alice Springs Caltex Art Award.

Legacy: Musée du quai Branly Paris, The British Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Queensland National Art Gallery, National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Kelton Foundation.

Blue-chip Artist. Bonhams sold Kalipinypa for $231,800 (2020), Smith & Singer sold Water Ceremony for $98,182 (2020).

Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra (1932-2020)

Water Dreaming Ceremony

Synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen

Price: $28,000 Inquire About This Work

Provenance: Warumpi Arts - the 1st pioneering, Aboriginal-owned community art centre and gallery fully owned & operated by Aboriginal artists, established in 1994 by Papunya Community Council, until September 2004.

Water Dreaming are highly iconographic works made up of geometric shapes and roundels. The ability to find water in a desert is the key to survival. The knowledge of where sources of water were to be found, was a secret only available to senior men such as Billy Stockman, Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra, Jonny Warangkula Tjupurrula, they were allowed to execute versions of the Water Dreaming. Ref: Bardon, Papunya, A Place Made After the Story: The Beginnings of the Western Desert Painting Movement, The Miegunyah Press, Melbourne, 2004, page 49.

The Life, Career, and Legacy of Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra (1932-2020)

Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra was a monumental figure in contemporary Australian art. He was a founding member of the Papunya Tula Artists, and its chairman in 1975 and again in the early 1990. Long Jack's market remains prestigious due to the scarcity and high-quality of his works, and also historical weight. Long Jack artworks pay homage and acts as instruments to preserve his culture ancestral traditions.

Long Jack Phillipus together with Billy Stockman painted Widows Dreaming & Wallaby Dreaming preceding the major Honey Ant mural. They integrated deep Ancient ceremonial knowledge into his canvases that became one of the World's most exciting contemporary art.

The World Art Market considers Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra a Blue-chip artist, his works offer an alternative investment on the secondary art market.

• Long Jack Phillipus was born circa 1932, at Kalipinypa, a major Water Dreaming place, north-east of Walungurru, in his mother's country. Long Jack Phillipus biography is in ABORIGINAL ARTISTS page 350.

• The artist’s name ‘Long Jack’ comes from his unusually tall stature. A former stockman, Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra was one of the founding members of Papunya Tula Artists, and its chairman in 1975 and again in the early 1990s.

• Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra was part of the Papunya Community from 1962. He was employed as a grounds man and was a member of the community council.

• Long Jack Phillipus was among the first generation of the Bardon years 1971–1973) of the Aboriginal artists to paint under Geoffrey Bardon’s influence in the early 1970's and one of the first masters responsible for the Aboriginal art movement. Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra was the founding group member of Papunya Tula Artists.

• Long Jack was a highly respected elder in the Papunya Community and has a strong influence on the young people, particularly in maintaining their traditional ways.

• A former stockman, he was one of the founding members of Papunya Tula Artists, and its chairman in 1975 and again in the early 1990s. During his childhood he lived with his family on their traditional lands, before moving to Haasts Bluff settlement when he was in his teens. In 1984 he was ordained as a Lutheran pastor and in the same year won a major art award. He was the last of the founding group of Papunya artists to continue to paint.

• Long Jack was a Lutheran pastor, his was family man with five children. Long Jack skills regarding hunting and tribal knowledge are unsurpassable.

Artistic Significance

Work of Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra is some of the most important. He was a Luritja/Warlpiri man, a Master artist who integrated deep Ancient ceremonial knowledge into his canvases - that became the World's most exciting Contemporary art. 

• The "First Eleven": He was among the small group of men who painted the first murals on the walls of the Papunya school, sparking the movement.

• Style: His work is characterised by a transition from raw, experimental boards to sophisticated, large-scale canvases. He maintained a strict adherence to traditional iconography (circles, tracks, and lines) while mastering the "dotting" technique to mask sacred information.

• Cultural Leadership: Beyond art, he was an ordained Lutheran pastor, often bridging the gap between Indigenous spirituality and Western influence. 

Market Presence Worldwide | His work has been a staple in major surveys of Aboriginal art for five decades: 

• Europe: Featured in landmark exhibitions at Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery (Brussels) and Galerie s’ weisse Haus (Switzerland).

• USA: Included in the touring exhibition Genesis and Genius and showcased at Booker-Lowe Gallery (Houston). 

• Primary Market: His work is primarily sourced through Papunya Tula Artists (the artist-owned cooperative).

• Secondary Market: High demand for "early boards" (1971–1972), which are treated as historical relics rather than just decorative art.

• Stability: Unlike some artists, Long Jack’s market remains prestigious due to the quality and scarcity of his works and historical weight. 

Sales at Commercial Galleries: Europe & America

• Europe: Sales are strongest in France, Belgium, and Germany. Collectors in these regions often view his work through an "Ethnographic Art" lens, valuing the 1970s period. Prices for mid-sized canvases typically range from €8,000 to €25,000.

• America: Significant interest from high-net-worth private collectors. Sales are often facilitated through specialist brokers or Australian galleries exhibiting at The Armory Show or IFPDA in New York. 

Auction Presence and Records: Europe & USA

While most of his high-volume auction activity occurs in Australia (Sotheby’s, Bonhams, Deutscher and Hackett), international presence is growing: 

• Europe: Frequent appearances at Sotheby’s Paris and Artcurial. Early boards have reached prices exceeding €40,000.

• USA: Sotheby’s New York (Aboriginal Art sales) has seen his work consistently outperform estimates.

• Auction Record: His records often sit in the $50,000 – $100,000 AUD range for exceptional early works, though standard canvases often sell between $15,000 and $30,000 AUD. 

The Scarcity of Long Jack's Work

As the last of the founding group of Papunya artists to continue painting before his passing in 2020, his available oeuvre is now largely locked in major public collections (such as the National Gallery of Victoria and the Metropolitan Museum of Art) or held by private collectors. 

• Market Rarity: Primary sales are virtually non-existent; almost all acquisitions now happen via the secondary auction market or specialized brokers.

• Availability: Rare works, occasionally appear for sale with prices around $28,000, while historical 1970s boards can exceed AUD $200,000 at major auctions like Bonhams. 

 Key Aspects Aboriginal Art Market Trends Beyond 2026

The market for Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra has entered a "Legacy Phase." 

Australian National Gallery of Victoria

Richard Kelton Foundation Santa Monica

Lowe Art Museum University of Miami

National Museum of Australia

Tim and Vivien Johnson Collection NZ

Museum of Victoria

National Art Gallery of New Zealand

National Gallery of Australia

Department of Archaeology and Anthropology Bristol UK

Australian National University Canberra

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

Art Gallery of Western Australia

Art Gallery of South Australia

Homes a Court Collection

Kerry Stokes collection

Powerhouse Museum

Christensen Collection Victoria

School of Archaeology Anthropology Australia

Qantas Art Collection

Donald Kahn art collection

Exhibitions

1971 National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

1971 Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth

1974 Anvil Art Gallery, Albury

1974 Art of Aboriginal Australia, touring exhibition Canada, Rothmans of Pall Mall Canada Ltd

1976 Aboriginal Australia, Second touring exhibition Canada

1977 Christ College, Oakleigh, Victoria

1983 Mori Gallery, Sydney

1984 Papunya and Beyond, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs

1985 The Face of the Centre: Papunya Tula Paintings

1984 National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

1987 Circle Path Meander, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

1987 A selection of Aboriginal Art owned by the ANU, Drill Hall Gallery, Australian Capital Territory

1988 ANCAAA and Boomalli, Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Ko-operative, Sydney

1988 Recent Aboriginal painting, AGSA, Adelaide

1989 Mythscapes, Aboriginal Art of the Desert, National Gallery of Victoria

1989 A selection of Aboriginal Art owned by the ANU, Drill Hall Gallery, Australian Capital Territory

1989 A Myriad of Dreaming: Twentieth Century Aboriginal Art, Westpac Gallery Melbourne

1989  Design Warehouse Sydney Lauraine Diggins Fine Art

1990 l'ete Australien a' Montpellier, Musee Fabre Gallery, Montpellier, France

1990 From the Centre to the Sea, Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative Chippendale, Sydney

1991 The Painted Dream: Contemporary Aboriginal Paintings from the Tim and Vivien Johnson Collection

1991 Auckland City Art Gallery and Te Whare Taonga

1992 Aoteroa National Art Gallery, New Zealand

1993 Tjukurrpa, Desert Dreamings, Aboriginal Art from Central Australia

1993 Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth

1994 Power of the Land, Masterpieces of Aboriginal Art, National Gallery of Victoria

From Papunya to Paris & New York

The innovation of the "Men's Painting Room" has evolved into a sophisticated global contemporary art movement. 

• New York (2023–2026): The landmark exhibition Irriṯitja Kuwarri Tjungu (meaning "Past and Present Together") touring the U.S., showing at the Grey Art Museum, NYU, through April 2026. It features 50 years of Papunya Tula art, showcasing how the "honey ant" mural evolved into world-class contemporary painting.

• Paris & International Presence: Following international recognition in Paris and London in the 1980s, the movement's descendants now regularly exhibit at major global events like Art Basel Hong Kong and in European galleries, often moving away from traditional "dots" to abstract minimalism that appeals to a modern international aesthetic. 

The "New Ways" of Painting

Younger generations are "painting in the footsteps" of founders like Long Jack but adapting the ways. Veiling to Abstraction: While Long Jack used dots to "veil" sacred symbols, many current artists use high-contrast, linear patterns to represent the vibrancy and energy of the land. Digital & Modern Media: Contemporary artists are now bridging the gap using digital art and photography to tell Dreaming stories to a global audience while maintaining their spiritual essence. 

Selected Bibliography Literature Source & FURTHER REFERENCES

• Australian Aboriginal Artist dictionary of biographies Kreczmanski, Janusz B and Birnberg, Margo (eds.): Aboriginal Artists: Dictionary of Biographies: Central Desert, Western Desert and Kimberley Region JB Publishing Australia, Marleston, 2004.

• Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert - A Biographical Dictionary by Vivien Johnson, published by Craftsman House 1994

• The Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture edited by Sylvia Kleinert and Margo Neale published by OUP 2000

• Aboriginal Artists: Dictionary of Biographies: Central Desert, Western Desert & Kimberley Region JB Publishing Australia, Marleston, 2004

• Brody, A. 1989 Utopia women’s Paintings: the First Works on Canvas, A summer Project, 1988-89 exhib. Cat. Heytesbury Holdings, Perth Brody

• A. 1990 Utopia, a picture Story, 88 Silk Batiks from the Robert Homes a Court Gallery and gallery Collection, Heytesbury Holdings LTD Perth NATSIVAD database, Latz, P. 1995, Bushfires & Bushtucker, IAD Press, Alice Springs

• Brody, A. 1989 Utopia women’s Paintings: the First Works on Canvas, A summer Project 1988-89 exhib. Cat. Heytesbury Holdings, Perth Brody

• Amadio, N. und Kimber, R., Wildbird Dreaming. Aboriginal Art from the Central Deserts of Australia, Greenhouse Publ., Melbourne 1988; Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland 1990, Ausst. Kat.; Australian Aboriginal Art from the Collection of Donald Kahn. Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami (Hrsg.), 1991, Ausst. Kat.; Droombeelden - Tjukurrpa. Groninger Museum (Hrsg.), Groningen 1995, Ausst. Kat.; Isaacs, J., Australia´s Living Heritage. Arts of the Dreaming, Lansdowne Press, Sydney 1984; Isaacs, J., Australian Aboriginal Paintings. Lansdowne, Sydney 1989, ISBN 186302011X; Johnson, V., Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert. A Biographical Dictionary, Craftsman House, East Roseville 1994, ISBN 9768097817; Modern Art - Ancient Icon. The Aboriginal Gallery of Dreamings (Hrsg.), o.O. 1992, ISBN 0646080520; Nangara. The Australian Aboriginal Art Exhibition from the Ebes Collection. The Aboriginal Gallery of Dreamings (Hrsg.), Melbourne 1996, Ausst. Kat.; Stourton, P. Corbally, Songlines and Dreamings. Lund Humphries Publ., London 1996, ISBN 0853316910; The Painted Dream. Contemporary Aboriginal Paintings. Johnson, V. (Hrsg.), Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland 1991, Ausst. Kat.; Tjinytjilpa. The Dotted Design. Aboriginal Art Galleries of Australia (Hrsg.), Melbourne 1998, Ausst. Kat.; Traumzeit - Tjukurrpa. Kunst der Aborigines der Western Desert. Die Donald Kahn-Sammlung, Danzker, J.B. (Hrsg.), Prestel, München und New York 1994, Ausst. Kat.; Voices of the Earth. Paintings, Photography and Sculpture from Aboriginal Australia. Gabrielle Pizzi (Hrsg.), Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne 1996, Ausst. Kat., ISBN 0646288954.

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Three Decades of Fine Art Heritage and Global Acclaim

A Visionary Legacy: Founded in 1994 in Kangaroo Valley, Galeria Aniela Fine Art Gallery & Sculpture Park pioneered museum-quality exhibitions program, bringing world-class masterworks and blue-chip Australian artists to a regional setting.

Institutional Recognition: The only commercial gallery in Australia listed in the National Gallery of Australia's Artonview exhibition guide alongside elite national institutions, state galleries and museums (1997-2004).

Fine Art Market Prestige: No other commercial gallery shares Galeria Aniela’s art prestige, highlighted by landmark modernist retrospectives officially launched by leaders of Australia’s peak art institutions:

• Arthur Boyd Retrospective (1997): Opened by Cameron O’Reilly, Deputy Chairman of the National Gallery of Australia (Broadcasted on ABC TV National News).

• John Perceval Retrospective (2000): Opened by Justin Miller, Chairman of Sotheby’s Australia.

• Charles Blackman Retrospective (2002): Opened by Rodney Menzies, Executive Chairman of Menzies Art Brand (Broadcasted on SBS TV ArtScream).

• A Century of Boyd collection (2012): Opened by Bob Hawke, former Australian Prime Minister.

Distinguished Guests & Cultural Icons: Over the years, Galeria Aniela has had the unique privilege of welcoming esteemed guests, celebrities, and art patrons to our exhibitions. Featured below are historic visits from international icon Sir David Attenborough, Cameron O’Reilly, and former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

Jamie Boyd and Aniela Kos with Cameron O’Reilly (1997) | Aniela Kos and Cameron Menzies (Nov. 2023)

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