New Works from an Old Land: Selma Coulthard
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In bearing witness to the past while affirming the continuity of culture, Selma Coulthard's work stands as a testament to resilience, compassion and the enduring power of Country. Through her paintings, history, memory and landscape have become inseparable.
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Recognition of Selma Nunay Coulthard's practice has grown steadily in recent years. Earlier this year, the National Gallery of Victoria acquired two significant works for its permanent collection, affirming the importance of her contribution to Australian art. Selma was selected as a finalist in the 2026 Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales with her painting Watarrka (Kings Canyon area), marking her first appearance in one of Australia's most prestigious awards for landscape painting.
Coulthard's work formed one of the prominent solo presentations at the Melbourne Art Fair this year in February. Presented by Nanda\Hobbs, the exhibition brought together a body of paintings that demonstrated the breadth and authority of her vision, introducing a wider audience to the lyrical beauty and cultural depth of her depictions of Country. The presentation underscored her growing national recognition and confirmed her position as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Australian painting.
Selma Nunay Coulthard grew up in Hermannsburg (Ntaria), though her family originates from Urrampinyi (Tempe Downs Station), southwest of Alice Springs in Central Australia. Born in Alice Springs in 1954, she spent her early years at Tempe Downs before moving to Hermansburg Mission for her schooling. It was at the mission that the young Selma first encountered artists painting watercolours.
When Coulthard speaks of her life and of her people's experiences following the arrival of missionaries and cattlemen in the late nineteenth century, it is profoundly moving. One quickly recognises that they are in the presence of a powerful voice of humanity and reason. Her understanding of the shared history of Australia's interior is immense. There is a calm eloquence in her words as she recounts and paints landscapes marked by families torn apart through injustice, and of the hope that emerges from an enduring culture that continues to bind her people to Country.
Despite many upheavals in her life, Coulthard has maintained a deep connection to the law and stories of her family. Her Tjukurpa (Dreaming) has profoundly shaped the essence of her practice. Hallmarks of her work include heightened colour, remarkable detail and a lyrical quality of line that reveals intricate patterning within the landscape. As though hidden beneath the picture plane, these visual moments invite contemplation and reward close attention. They affirm that Coulthard's understanding of Country extends far beyond the depiction of an awe-inspiring view, embodying instead a lived relationship with place and memory.
Selma Coulthard speaks with remarkable generosity and compassion. Her act of painting is itself a powerful social statement. She speaks of painting as a form of healing, and of culture as a binding force for all people, not solely for her own community. The language and stories that imbue her work are far-reaching. Executed with undeniable painterly skill, her paintings encompass truth-telling, memories of mission life, faith both traditional and Christian, and a vision of hope and renewal.
In bearing witness to the past while affirming the continuity of culture, Selma Coulthard's work stands as a testament to resilience, compassion and the enduring power of Country. Through her paintings, history, memory and landscape have become inseparable.
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