18/08/2026
We made a visit recently to the University of Southern Queensland - Australia Art Gallery to view an exhibition of works by .luscombe.art - Light and Shade.
Melinda's collection is called Gumbi Gumbi and is a series of acrylic on canvas works.
Indigenous art often signifies a deep connection to the land, reflecting the artist's spiritual and cultural ties to their ancestral territories. Luscombe employs a diverse range of symbols and techniques to capture the Gumbi Gumbi Gardens through a collective montage of imagery spanning all seasons, showing the gardens as the plants grow and mature. This work is about looking towards the future of the Gardens, not just how they exist in the present.
The subtle background which moves across the canvas illustrates symbols of water, rainfall, stars and sun representing both night and day. Soil, country and rainbows, complemented with eucalyptus and grass, all connected by meeting places, bridged by tracks in the earth.
The plants on the surface, emblazoned in white, are all found within the Gumbi Gumbi Gardens, ranging from Orange Blossoms, Rosella, Wombat Berry, Gumbi Gumbi, Winter Apple, Kurrajong leaves and seed pods, Bunya pine fronds and Bunya Nuts.
We are excited to be partnering with University of Southern Queensland - Australia First Nations team developing a richer cultural presence across their Campuses and look forward to sharing more as these projects progress.
