Description

Selinda Davidson

Born in October 1994 in Alice Springs, Selinda spent her teenage years in Irruntyju and Pipalyatjara. She became a member of Ninuku Arts Centre, where she paints regularly and works as an arts facilitator. Her artwork draws on traditional mark-making and tjukurpa (dreaming stories), inspired by her grandparents, the late Mr. Donegan and Molly Miller. Through them, Selinda learned to paint tjukurpa and express her family’s stories through her designs. Her family’s homeland is in Warburton, WA, and she speaks both Pitjantjatjara and English.

In 2018, Ninuku Arts began exploring glassmaking as a way to experiment with new materials and techniques, celebrating the rich culture and unique visual language of artists from Pipalyatjara and Kalka communities. In collaboration with the JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design Centre, these innovative pieces debuted at the Tarnanthi Art Fair the following year, marking a significant milestone for both Indigenous makers and contemporary Australian craft.

As a rising star in the art world, Selinda has made a name for herself with exhibitions across the country, including her debut solo show at JamFactory in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, in 2021. Her practice involves intricate painting techniques that etch detailed line work inspired by Wanapari (concentric lines) found along the South Australian and Western Australian borders, revealing layers of color and light just beneath the surface.

The “Tali Tjuta” exhibition showcases new works in both glass and on canvas, capturing the essence of Tali Tjuta (many sandhills) in the artist’s ngurra (country). This sacred landscape is a site for minyma (women) to engage in inma (ceremonial dances and songs). Selinda’s artworks provide an aerial perspective of the land, beautifully reflecting the way the wind shapes the sand.