Janine Mapurunga

About Janine Mapurunga

Janine Mapurunga is a social practice artist whose practice is rooted in a unique blend of visual storytelling, social sciences, community engagement, and design. She received her first camera as a gift from her grandmother at age 10 and has been photographing ever since. As a documentary photographer, she has developed community-centered projects in the US and abroad for over 20 years. Raised by her grandma, Mapurunga often centers the voices of elders in her work. She is currently leading “Bien Juntitos,” a bilingual oral history project focused on Spanish-speaking immigrant elders in Sacramento. This project includes a documentary film and a book featuring oral histories of 50 elders: www.bienjuntitos.com. 

Her undergraduate studies focused on Photography and Cultural anthropology at Sac City College and UC Davis, and her MFA focused on Visual Culture, Artistic Production and Research at the University of Barcelona. She has received numerous grants and awards for her public art projects, including CA Arts Council’s 2023 CA Creative Corps, Sacramento Councilmember Mai Vang’s 2024 Artist of the Year, and a 2025 Woman of Distinction Proclamation from Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty.