William King Jungala was born in Katherine, located 300km south of Darwin, Northern Territory Australia. During early childhood William spent the majority of his time with his father, (of the Waanyi tribe) who acted as both a teacher and mentor in many aspects of life. However, it was his grandfather (of the Gurindji tribe) who having had travelled extensively across the country and developed a close connection with the land passed down his stories and vast desert knowledge to this young man.
William would draw upon those earlier teachings of Aboriginal traditional painting styles to create a foundation on which his own life experiences and personal philosophies developed. He often used his art as a medium for himself and others, explaining ‘My life is not about clichés. I demand evolution of myself and that to me is letting all my senses taste my environment completely, not necessarily intellectually breaking it down. I hope my art captures the intensity in which I see my beautiful world.’
William’s work is greatly influenced by his grandfather’s teaching and he successfully inter-mingles his own unique style and images with other art styles taken from many locations and experiences. ‘Earth Images’ depicts William’s combined knowledge of the physical terrain and the Dreamtime stories which relate to it. The series reflects William’s love of his native country.
William passed on Dec 2nd 2007, but his imagination still lives on through his art. His daughters Tarisse and Sarrita King still continue his exploration for connection to all things through art.