Walla Walla - David Brown Jangala

In this painting, David Brown Jangala captures the fleeting abundance of desert creeks after heavy rain—a time when the land comes to life and families come together. The work is centred around the memory of water flowing through the dry landscape, bringing with it opportunity, nourishment, and joy. Using soft gradients of earthy tones and finely worked dotting, Brown maps out the paths of water and the gathering sites where people swim, hunt, and share in the bounty of Country.

“When the water is still running through the desert creeks,” Brown recalls, “my family would gather to swim and hunt water goanna.” This painting is both a record of lived experience and an expression of cultural continuity. It speaks to the strength of community and the deep relationship between people and land in times of renewal. In remembering these moments, Brown affirms his place in Country and keeps the knowledge of these rhythms alive for future generations.