Waki Jukurrpa (Men's Dreaming)
Acrylic on canvas, 182 x 166cm (Detail)
From the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation Collection
Born 'in the bush' near Yuelamu in the 1920's, Frank (or Franky) Japanangka is keeper of the Yuelamu site and a leading figure in the Mt Allan community. He worked as a stockman in earlier years.
An Anmatyerre speaker, his country is Yuelamu and he paints Honey Ant and Witchetty Dreamings for that country. He does not paint a great deal, but said of the Mt Allan Museum and Art Gallery, 'Since we thought of this place - so they never sell this country - long time I been painting.'
His daughters Carol Frank and Peggy Brown, and several of his nieces whom he raised are also painters. In recent years, he has withdrawn more from community politics to reside mainly on the outstation at Yulyipinyu, close to the western boundary of Mt Allan and adjacent to Japanangka/Japangardi Honey Ant Dreaming country.
