V.E.B. NARDAPARLI

Vida Nardaparli Brown (1958-2025) was a renowned painter of the Wreck Bay Aboriginal community in the Jervis Bay Territory of the NSW South Coast.

She was the great grand daughter of Rosie Burragalong-Davis and Mickey Johnson who were known as King Mickey and Queen Rosie of the Illawarra. Rosie was the daughter of Paddy Burragalong Davis known as the Chieftain of the Illawarra tribe and Biddy Giles who was a senior member of the Gweagal people of the Georges River and Botany Bay. Nardaparli is related through her father George Brown to the Yuin clans of the far south coast.

Her great aunt Ellen Anderson (nee Burragalong-Davis) recounted many traditional stories in early compilations of South Coast Aboriginal language and stories. Ellen with her husband Hughy travelled the country in the 1890s from Maloga Mission on the Murray River to Kangaroo Valley where they tried to start an independent community to Kiama and the Georges River in Sydney.

When Nardaparli paints she feels her ancestors guiding her and finds it hard to stop until a painting is finished.

When the 2020 bushfires ravaged the south coast of NSW, Nardaparli remained in her Wreck Bay community and watched as the mountains turned red. Many evacuated. Nardaparli saw more than just the fire. She saw the deep spirits of the mountains in the fluorescent red glow from Gulaga (Dromedary) to Didthul (Pigeon House) mountain. She also saw spirits rising up from the ocean around her.

For many years, on a completelhy voluntary basis, the Honorary Secretary of the ISX Peter Botsman has worked with Vida and her family to help the wider community understand the significance of her artworks. The deep meanings of Vida's art are treasured by the Aboriginal communities that traverse Vida's beloved Budwang Dividing range, the Dharawal peoples, the Yuin peoples and the Gandegarra peoples and beyond. As time goes on Vida's art becomes even more revered by the wider Australian community. Through prints and exhibitions, and the help of long term supporters such as Sonia Millis and Arthead, appreciation and understanding grows.

Project description:

The ISX mourns the passing of Vida Nardaparli Brown (1958-2025). Her paintings are treasures of South Coast Aboriginal art. "Bouderee Stingrays" is the iconic poster for Booderee National Park at Jervis Bay, a fitting memorial to Vida's father George one of the pioneers of the park and her family who continue to work as managers and conservationists. Vida's paintings are immortal and commemorate much of South Coast Aboriginal life.

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