For four days a year, pride in The Centre’s art closes “the gap” as people, black and white, from near and far, stream in to Alice Springs for Desert Mob.
They celebrate ancient stories kept alive on paper and canvas, on clay vessels or as sculptures made from metal, wire or grasses.
There are an astonishing 32 indigenous controlled art centres in the region. Doris Nunggarrayi Bush lives and paints in an outstation south of Kintore, some 300 km west of Alice Springs, in dog dreaming country, as she tells me in her sharp, high voice.
Ricky Nelson, the partner of Doris’s granddaughter, Stephanie, interprets. Stephanie herself has two sons aged 14 and 21 which makes the artist – let’s just say quite old. (The official version from Desart is “born 1942, Luritja people.”)
She started paining late in life, after her husband had passed away. She was very sad. Now she is teaching painting to her grandchildren.
Doris says it was her mother who taught her painting. Both she and her mother had “no blankets, no clothes, nothing” when she was born. They were naked.
Now Doris speaks about a trip to Melbourne.
She has a work in the show (pictured, Fiona Morrison, courtesy of Desart), ink on paper, “all the bush food and the snake and goanna”. It is priced at $4900.
Talking with Ricky and Stephanie, who is filming my chat with Doris on her smart phone, money for the art isn’t a major concern, but it comes in handy.
Meanwhile, outside Araluen I spot a lady wearing a white T-shirt with a very large “1” written on the back is with her husband whose T-shirt has a very large “2”.
The significance of this soon becomes clear: they are first and second in the growing queue at the front door. This is their 20th consecutive year at Desert Mob. They are first and second to sprint inside, getting the first bite at the cherry to buy artwork, when the door is opened at 5pm sharp by Desart CEO Philip Watkins.
Number One tells me it’s lovely that Desert Mob hasn’t changed. It is still all about the artists: “It’s very different to any art fair I go to anywhere around the world because it’s about the artists.
“We come here very early in the morning, we see the artists arrive, we have a lovely time talking to them, enjoying catching up with them. Look at them having their BBQ. They make us feel part of the festival. And it’s everybody’s festival.”
Me: Has it changed?
Number One: I don’t think it has changed. I think that’s lovely. It isn’t different. And they are not chasing the dollars, chasing being a celebrity. It is still about the artists and the art.
Me: What does it mean to the artists, so far as you know?
Number One: They get a lot of joy, they come together, they celebrate their artwork, they see us buy their artwork, we get photos taken with them, with their artwork and they get a little insight of where the artworks go and we get a little insight into the artists.
“2” says they are not buying for anyone else: “We don’t buy for anybody else, we are just keen supporters of the art. It’s being part of the festival, and being with the artists today.”
Me: Has the art changed?
Number One: Art is always evolving. That’s how it’s changed. But it’s always good art. This isn’t the biggest commercial gig in town, People are in Sydney if they want that.
Me: How does the nation, the world see the art movement here?
Number One: Look at the people who’ve been here all day waiting for it. That talks to the art, doesn’t it.
There are nearly 200 works in this year’s Desert Mob, from all 32 centres, priced between $300 and $18,000.
This article appeared on Alice Springs News on 12 September 2025.
