Ngarrindjeri Nukkan: Threads of Connection

Ngarrindjeri Wirangu artist Jackie Saunders is an emerging Indigenous artist whose work is deeply rooted in her heritage and lived experiences as a person with disability. Drawing from the rich traditions of her ancestors, she creates compelling visual narratives that celebrate Indigenous culture while also addressing themes of identity, resilience, and the intersectionality of disability. 

She was exhibited in ACE Open’s 2020 exhibition ‘If the Future is to be Worth Anything: 2020 South Australian Artist Survey’. In the same year, she won the Dawn Slade-Faull Award, which enabled her to present her debut solo exhibition, ‘Salt & Sand’. Her work was featured in Tarnanthi 2021, with a follow up solo show in Tarnanthi 2023. In 2022, she collaborated with Laura Wills on the exhibition ‘Mineral Lines’ at the South Australian Museum. In 2024, her piece Desert Sundown (Alice Springs) was acquired by the Art Gallery of South Australia. Jackie will take part in a Nexus Studio Residency for SALA 2025, which includes a mentorship with an established artist.   

Image courtesy of Tutti Arts. Image credit: Sam Roberts