Kata Tjuta by Vincent Forrester Muntjantji 122x152cm

This painting by Vincent Forrester is part of the "Two Boys Dreaming" series. The story of Ulay Kutitja recounts two boys who traveled the Milky Way with the seven sisters, forming Uluru and Kata Tjuta. This work represents Kata Tjuta, integral to that story.

For the Anangu, Kata Tjuta (Many Heads), also known as the Olgas, and Uluru are much more than ancient rocks; they form a living cultural landscape that holds many sacred sites and stories. The Anangu believe that this landscape was created by ancestral beings, and they are the direct descendants of those beings.

Growing up as a stockman and station hand, Vincent came to know his country intimately. His grandfathers showed him the landscape and told him the stories associated with his country and Alice Springs, where he became the Aboriginal historian of the area. His grandmothers taught him about bush foods and bush medicine for both Luritja and Aranda country. In his teens, while working as a cattleman, Vincent began working as a tour guide during the infancy of the tourism industry. He later became a popular guide at Kings Canyon, a ranger at Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park, and a specialist guide at Alice Springs Desert Park.

Vincent Forrester's artwork and activism work hand in hand to preserve and highlight the rich cultural heritage of Indigenous Australians. Through his art, he draws attention to both the historical significance and contemporary challenges faced by Indigenous communities, ensuring their traditions and stories continue to be recognized and valued.