Two Girls From Amoonguna
Saltwater Gallery’s Inaugural Exhibition!
Saltwater Gallery will officially open on Saturday, 9 May 2026 with Two Girls From Amoonguna.
Featuring works by two talented Central Desert artists, Sally M Nangala Mulda & Marlene Rubuntja this ACMI national touring exhibition will be on display in Saltwater Gallery from 9 May to 21 June 2026.
Two Girls From Amoonguna presents observationalist paintings, bush-dyed handsewn sculptures and an immersive animated video recount intertwining stories of friendship and resilience.
The centerpiece is an animated work titled Arrkutja Tharra, Kungka Kutjara, Two Girls. It delves into the reality of First Peoples’ experiences in Central Australia, chronicling the artists’ successes and struggles. Both renowned Town Camp artists, the two friends grew up at the Amoonguna Settlement in Northern Territory but wouldn’t reconnect until later in life, after both had witnessed a number of hardships.
Now having achieved so much, they are immensely proud of one another. Sally and Marlene’s practice is representative of where they live, Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Playful, self-referential, and humorous, it embodies the history and rich culture of Mparntwe and its surrounding town camps.
Quote from Seb Chan, Director & CEO, ACMI
“Two Girls from Amoonguna, including the animated video work and ACMI + Artbank Commission Arrkutja Tharra, Kungka Kutjara, Two Girls, alongside paintings and sculptures, spotlights the creativity of Central Desert artists Marlene Rubuntja and Sally M Nangala Mulda. ACMI is proud to bring the work of these two Central Desert artists to venues around Australia to ensure that their art reaches wider national audiences.”
Quote from Curator, Jenna Rain Warwick (Luritja)
“Two Girls from Amoonguna is an exhibition I’m extremely proud to have curated. Sally M Nangala Mulda and Marlene Rubuntja are accomplished artists and seeing their work brought to life by Ludo was remarkable. Their work speaks to the activist spirit that First People artists hold within them.”
Saltwater Gallery
9 May to 21 June 2026
Open daily from 10am – 4pm
Free entry