Precious canvas rescued from rising floodwaters

Photo by Andrea Myers.

Flooding in the remote Kimberley town of Fitzroy Crossing has prompted an emergency rescue effort to save an artwork of immense cultural significance. The 8 x 10m Ngurrara Canvas was painted by Ngurrara Traditional Owners to prove their connection to country when battling for native title. It’s a living document that illustrates all the freshwater jumu (soaks) and jila (springs) across the Great Sandy Desert—the country Ngurrara people call home.

Up until yesterday the painting was safely housed at Mangkaja Arts Resource Agency, a space which serves as an art gallery and studio for local artists. But Traditional Owners became concerned when the floodwaters kept rising. Yanunijarra Aboriginal Corporation’s Amber McCarthy liaised with other corporation members to lead the rescue effort.

‘There was water all through Mangkaja—it’s affected the paintings of elders and local people. We waded through water above our knees, up to our thighs. It was scary. We were all emotional at the start, really anxious.’

‘The canvas was in a storage box above the flood line, but there was a bit of water in there. A lot of people across town have been flat out dealing with damage to their own places, so we were lucky to have hands on deck to pull the canvas out of the box and carry it to safety,’ Ms McCarthy says.

It’s still too early to tell the full extent of the water’s impact, as the canvas is yet to be assessed by a conservator. Yanunijarra is hopeful it will dry quickly, as the biggest problem will be mould. At this stage there is no indication there will be lasting damage. The quick thinking of community members means the work is now housed in a dry location.

Ngurrara Canvas Committee member Terry Murray says the canvas is ‘a living treasure of native title.’

‘Looking at the canvas makes us strong inside because it’s the journey of our elders, our artists and the land itself.’

Yanunijarra Aboriginal Corporation has a vision to secure a safe permanent home for the canvas, on country.

For interviews about the rescue please contact:
Yanunijarra Aboriginal Corporation Administration Officer
Amber McCarthy 0455 538 468

For broader information about the canvas please contact:
Ngurrara Canvas Committee Member
Terry Murray 0460 681 519