Aileen Napaljarri Long: Wanakiji

Aileen Napaljarri Long embraces her Warlpiri culture and colourist tradition with this special release of paintings based on Wanakiji, Bush Tomato, conjuring the artist’s sacred recollections associated with her Country in the Barkly Region of the Northern Territory.

Wanakiji, the Warlpiri translation for Bush Tomato (solanum chippendalei) is a vital source of nutrition that is foraged out bush, referred to as survival food due its long-lasting, nutritious qualities; it similarly contains various healing properties, and it is therefore commonly used for pain relief.

For Long, the recurring motifs of Wanakiji, which is known to thrive in the deep red soils of the desert, emulated by the rich palette in her paintings, recall fond memories of her childhood. Her natural fluency with colour and intuitive gestural marks result in expressive compositions that glow luminously from within and surge across the canvas with joyful exuberance, embodying her innate and unwavering connection to her beloved Country.