Walla Walla - David Brown Jangala

This painting by David Brown Jangala captures a moment of seasonal abundance in the desert, when water still flows through the creeks and the land is alive with activity. The work depicts the natural waterways and surrounding landscape with intricate dotting and subtle colour shifts, evoking the movement of water and the vitality it brings. It reflects a time when families come together to swim and hunt water goanna, sustaining themselves through close connection to Country.

“When the water is still running through the desert creeks,” Brown explains, “my family would gather to swim and hunt water goanna.” This artwork preserves these memories and traditions, highlighting the importance of water as a life source in the desert environment. Through his painting, Brown honours the rhythms of the land and the communal practices that have supported survival and cultural continuity for generations.