Joanne Currie Nalingu, born on the banks of the Maranoa River at the Yumba mission, left the community at 16 and built a life with her partner Patrick and their children. Having witnessed the impact of alcohol on her family, she is a strong advocate against it. Her art often reflects both her childhood memories of the river and her awareness of the challenges faced by Indigenous Australians, resulting in pieces that are both politically charged and lyrically evocative. Currie's "Blood River Black Water" series combines traditional shield designs from her Mandandanyi heritage with painted river landscapes and text in her Gungari language. A self-taught artist, Currie's increasing complexity, political resonance, and conceptual depth led her to be a finalist in the 2011 Sulman Award at the Art Gallery of New South Wales for one of her new media works.
