Lake Amadeus by Vincent Forrester Muntjantji 58x80cm

"Lake Amadeus" by Vincent Forrester Muntjantj offers an aerial view of the spectacular desert light over Lake Amadeus (Pitjantjatjara: Pantu), a vast salt lake in the southwest corner of the Northern Territory, Australia. Located about 50 kilometers north of Uluṟu, the lake spans 180 kilometers in length and 10 kilometers in width, making it the largest salt lake in the Northern Territory. The lake’s surface is typically a dry salt crust due to the region's aridity.

According to Anangu Tjukurpa, Pantu was created by wanampi (water snake), who dug out the ground with a stick to form the lake and drew concentric circles in the land. The first European encounter with Pantu/Lake Amadeus was by explorer Ernest Giles in 1872.

Vincent uses highly prized red ochre, collected by his aunties who are custodians of the sacred mountain Karku, along with blue acrylic paint.

Vincent Forrester (born 1952) is an Aboriginal Australian activist, artist, and community leader. As a founding member of several Aboriginal organizations in central Australia, Forrester has been a prominent political activist on issues affecting Indigenous Australians. He has served as the chairman of the community council at Mutitjulu and was an advisor on Indigenous affairs to the governments of Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke during the 1980s. Forrester has been a vocal critic of the Intervention in the Northern Territory and advocates for better economic and educational development in affected communities.