Kenneth Jungarrayi Martin Australian, Walpiri, b. 1975

Kenneth Jungarrayi Martin was born in Lajamanu, an Aboriginal community in semi-aridcountry on the edge of theTanami Desert, halfway between Darwin and Alice Springs in theNT of Australia. His parents passed away when he was a little boy so he was brought up byhis father’s brother. His Grandmothers live in Alice Springs in the “oldtimers” home. “When Iwas young I was a lover boy, a music man! I’m a singer, my mother was a singer and myfather was her manager.” Kenneth is a member of the ‘Lajamanu Teenage Band’ and theiralbum Vision was nominated for an Aria Award for Best World Music Album. They are oneof themost popular live acts in the Territory and have played Survival, Burunga, Melbourne Fringe and many other community festivals. When Kenneth is not travelling with his musiche lives in Nyirripi with his second wife Evelyn Nangala Robertson, an artist with Warlukurlangu Artists. Kenneth began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists AboriginalCorporation; an Aboriginal owned and governed Art Centre in Yuendumu, in 2011. His“Grandfather” Mosquito Morris and he share the same land and it was Mosquito whoshowedhim the designs and shapes that depict his country. Kenneth paints his father’sJukurrpa, Yankirri (Emu Dreaming), Dreaming stories about his country south of Yuendumu.“I sit and do painting, it makes me feel relaxed. I do the design and everything and my wifedoes the dot painting.