Vanessa Inkamala – Tjorita (West MacDonnell Ranges) NT, 2022, multi-plate coloured etching, 23cm x 36cm. Purchased in 2023 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Murdoch University Art Collection.

Ms Vanessa Inkamala’s etching titled Tjorita (West MacDonnell Ranges) NT utilises an intriguing combination of traditional western perspectives, layered colours and tone to give depth, while evoking the iconic Hermannsburg School of watercolour painting which was formed by Mr Albert Namatjira and others, and where Ms Inkamala learned to make art.  

A plethora of colours and textures draw us into the picture, inviting and intimate, complex and naïve, simultaneously cartoon-like and deeply figurative. There is a stillness to the image, but rather than being static the colours and the repetitive shapes bring it to life.  

The foreground’s bright and intense colours and simple yet detailed shapes remind me of tapestry work, while Namatjira ‘s influence can be seen in the watercolour toned hills in the distance. 

It’s a very sensual artwork, bringing the sights, sounds and smells of the land to us.  I can hear and smell the late afternoon, the loudest sound being the red-tailed black cockatoos, calling to each other as they prepare to settle into the big old gum tree for the night. We can imagine the smells of warm earth and rocky outcrops as the sun goes down, and hear the bush come to life as the bright heat of the day gives way to the shelter of evening and the small animals, insects and birds that were sheltering start to emerge.  

This place is unknown to me, and I bring my own experiences with the bush when I view this artwork. The bark of the white gum invites touch, and I imagine it would be smooth and a bit powdery. The little green shrubs might be fragrant and spiky, the red rocks course-grained and deeply weathered. The red earth under my feet might be very hard and sun-baked, or it might be sandy and full of movement.  All these qualities are captured by a very talented artist with a deep love, connection to and understanding of this place and its stories and shared to us as welcome outsiders.  

About Leah Knapp

Leah Knapp is a proud Murdoch alumna completing a BA Hons, in Sustainable Development, in 2008. Since graduating, Leah has built a professional career working in the sector and joined Murdoch University as the inaugural Sustainability Officer in 2011 and then became the Sustainability Manager in 2014. Her special areas of interest are biodiversity conservation and volunteerism/ citizen science as a hands-on way to drive behavioural change across all the pillars of sustainability. Leah is passionate about biodiversity management around Murdoch University campus and actively engages with community groups.

Leah also has an interest and background in art and design, particularly printmaking. She is a keen bushwalker, and counts her many hiking adventures in Purnululu, Kata Jutka, Uluru, Karijini and Ningaloo to be some of the most formative and immersive experiences which have contributed to grow her understanding of Australian landscapes and ways of seeing and appreciating the uniqueness of these Countries. Leah’s is currently planning her next walking holiday in Tjoritja (West MacDonnell Ranges)!