We had an incredible time talking and working together at this year's Desert Mob Artist Talks with the phenomenal artists from Iltja Ntjarra (Many Hands) Art Centre about their exhibition Nurnaka Urrkaapuntja Tharrka, Paintings on Buffel Grass Paper.
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Buffel grass is an existential threat to the arid lands, and it is artists who do such an incredible job in making us understand the problem with renewed clarity and understanding. Phenomenal storytellers continuing to advocate for their Country! It is abundantly clear that buffel grass is a risk to land, people and cultures. Buffel grass after it was intentionally planted by Governments and pastoralists has spread across much of Central Australia, and is also spreading in QLD, WA, SA, NT, NSW & Vic. Buffel grass dominating habitats which used to be home to bush foods and medicines. It makes it hard to walk through homelands and access sacred sites and brings the danger of much bigger fires putting peoples lives at risk. On Friday 11 September, Iltja Ntjarra and the Arid Lands Environment Centre collaborated as part of the Desert Mob Artist Talks. We were really honoured to be a part of this exceptional program.
Figure 1. Alex Vaughan, Carita Coulthard and Mandy Malbunka on stage at the Desert Mob Artist Talks. @sarah.deeee
Iltja Ntjarra Artists shared how they have used this damaging grass to make art. Building on the Western Aranda landscape painting tradition, the artists discussed a new body of work created on handmade buffel grass paper. By turning Buffel Grass into a surface for stories, knowledge, and connection to homelands, the artists create works that bring their stories of seeing buffel grass grow over their homelands to the front.
Figure 2. (left) Dellina Inkamala's painting using buffel grass ink, in the Western Aranda painting style.
ALEC's long-running advocacy has helped bring national attention to the impacts of Buffel Grass and contributed to its recent declaration as a weed for management in the NT. We are part of a community of passionate people and organisations demanding action on buffel grass. Thank you for the incredible talk Carita Coulthard, Mandy Malbunka, Dellina Inkamala, Tyler Arnold of Iltja Ntjarra, and Alex Vaughan of Arid Lands Environment Centre
 Figure 3. 3 Tyler Arnold, Alex Vaughan, Carita Coulthard, Mandy Malbunka, Dellina Inkamala. sarah.deeee
Thanks to @desert_mob desart for having us!
Nurnaka Urrkaapuntja Tharrka, Paintings on Buffel Grass Paper is at Olive Pink Botanic Garden until 4th of October, with works in 2026 desertMOB as well.
Want to hear more? Join us all for a closing event for the exhibition, with a morning tea and @olivepinkbotanicgarden garden walk, and the launch of ALEC’s new Buffel Grass report on Saturday October 3rd 10am
COVER IMAGE: (left) Carita Coulthard's painting of bushfoods impacted by buffel grass, painted on buffel grass paper. (Right) Delray Inkamala's painting of a pink cockatoo on buffel grass paper. |
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