‘Daytime dancing at Laramba. A party. Everyone dancing together, couples, families, kids, dogs. Everyone happy. Rain falling. Dogs all looking, dogs looking from the hills.
Grace Robinya was born and raised in Ntaria (Hermannsburg), her father had links to a series of sites along the Finke River, and her mother was an Ungkwanaka from Running Waters (Irbmangkara). Robinya has fond recollections of sewing and playing sport at the Lutheran Mission of Hermannsburg. At a young age Grace eloped with her husband, and says never looked back! Since 2015, Robinya’s practice has focussed on figurative paintings, often near-miniatures, detailing important locations and events in her life: her childhood at Hermannsburg Mission and surrounding Ntaria region, or visits to her beloved Irbmangkara. She also records details of station life at Coniston and Napperby Stations, where she and her husband worked as a domestic, and ringer respectively, while raising their family. A frequent return visitor to Laramba Aboriginal Community now established on Napperby Station, Grace Robinya also documents exciting football and softball carnivals in which her grandsons and granddaughters feature, playing for the winning Anmatyerr teams. These and other works detail life in the remote Aboriginal communities in which she has lived throughout her life.
Desert Mob is presented annually in Mparntwe | Alice Springs on Arrernte Country.
On behalf of Desart’s staff and art centre members, the Executive Committee humbly and respectfully acknowledge the Arrernte Apmereke Artweye (Traditional Owners) and Kwertengerle (Traditional Managers) of Mparntwe.
Desart respectfully advises Aboriginal readers that this website may contain names, images and artworks of people who have passed away.
