April 12, 2016
105-YEAR-OLD
PAINTER
LOONGKOONAN
PROVES IT’S
NEVER TOO LATE
TO SHINE
#BLACKGIRLMAGIC
By Erin White*, AFROPUNK contributor
It’s never too late to let your #BlackGirlMagic shine! Aboriginal artist Loongkoonan picked up painting in her late 90s, she’s now 105-years-old. Loongkoonan, who rejects her former “whitefella” name, Daisy, is the oldest speaker of the endangered Nyikina language and is a matriarch of the county by the same name in Western Australia. Loongkoonan uses her paintings (done in acrylic on paper and linen) to express her appreciation and respect for the land she once explored, by foot, grandparents. I paint Nyikina country the same way eagles see country when they are high up in the sky,” Loongkoonan told Mashable.
Indigenart-Mossenson Galleries owner Diane Mossenson, the first buyer of Loongkoonan’s art explained that the artist uses the medium to record memories, traditions, and the history of the country. “Loongkoonan’s paintings are records of her connection to country which she foot walked all over when younger. They reflect her intimate knowledge of this land, and as such are a powerful record of Aboriginal heritage and knowledge,” Mossenson said.
Loongkoonan has created an estimated 380 paintings and shows no sign of slowing down.
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*Erin White is an Atlanta-based writer and AFROPUNK’s editorial and social media assistant. You can follow her on Tumblr or friend her on Facebook. Have a pitch or an inquiry? Shoot her an email at erin@afropunk.com.