Michael Jagamara Nelson Gives it a Go

Abstract

Michael Jagamara Nelson is an artist who loves - maybe even needs - a challenge. His first painting came about in late 1979 when his uncle Jack Wayuta Tjupllmula told him to 'give it a go' and paint their Flying Ant Dreaming on the 180 x 120 cm canvas Papunya Tula Artists had just given him: 'Hey my young fella, you do this painting for me with Flying Ants one." As a senior custodian for the Flying Ant Dreaming for Yuwinji, Old Jack had a perfect right under Warlpiri law to direct his nephew to paint it for him - and also to claim ownership of the finished painting. It was not discovered for another fifteen years whose hand had held the brush. Michael Nelson continued watching the 'old artists' at work on his way to and from his job at the Papunya Council office and assisting his uncle on his paintings.