Tangle (Wana Karnu)

Wana Karnu is both a place name and a geological group. Tangle (Wana Karnu) suggests layers of time, through the gravelly deposits of an ancient riverbed and the gradual intertwining of Mulga limbs and branches in Mutawintji National Park on Pantjikali, Wanyuparlku, Wilyakali and Malyangapa Country, NSW.
Suspended in memory, complex networks of twigs signify growth and decay, while prompting consideration of human entanglements and interconnection with ecologies.

This work is drawn with brush and acrylic ink over nine unique rust transfers. Reminiscent of chemical weathering processes and sedimentary structures, each rust imprint holds the unpredictable marks and traces of water repeatedly flowing and pooling on a single piece of steel.

Initially visiting through the Broken Hill City Art Gallery’s 2022 Open Cut Commission and returning to attend the 2023 Mutawintji Cultural Festival, opportunities to walk with Wiimpatja, Traditional Owners greatly enriched my appreciation for the landscape of Mutawintji.