The River Report: Natalie Davey

As artist Natalie Davey explains, “The River Report is a five-day map of when our normal Yitilal (wet season) turned into a major disaster and we were once again displaced. There are no stories in our 1,000s of 1,000s of years to describe this event, as climate change is rapidly reordering the flow of our country.”

This 10-minute film will be on display in Gallery 3 from June 19 to July 12

Natalie Davey

Natalie Davey is a multidisciplinary artist from Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Of Bunuba, Walmajarri, Scottish, and English heritage, she is a custodian of Bunuba Danggu Muway and is deeply connected to her culture and community.

Natalie’s practice spans photography, soundscapes, painting, and multimedia art. She spends much of her creative time at Mangkaja Arts and recently won the Multimedia Award at the 2024 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) for her work “River Report,” which reflects on the 2023 Fitzroy Crossing flood disaster.

As a producer and broadcaster at Wangki Radio 936AM, Natalie works alongside her father to present the award-winning morning language program “Danggujarra,” furthering her commitment to preserving and sharing her culture.

From a young age, Natalie has been drawn to the camera, using it as a tool to explore the natural world and document her surroundings. Her art serves to process and understand her experiences, combining seasonal observations, language, and multimedia storytelling. Through her work, Natalie strives to foster cultural understanding and bring people together, blending artistic exploration with community healing and connection.