Selena Furnari Indigenous Art

21/08/2026

So excited to be exhibiting at Warehouse 25 !! 🖤💛❤️

21/08/2026

'Tereticornis Queen' - Acrylic on canvas 🐝

Tereticornis Queen' is a Girramay song about native bees that was recorded and sung by Paddy Biran and Jack Murray on the 13th of June, 1964. They sang this song that translates:

“We listen to the bees, they hum as they collect pollen
The queen bee bustles around in the hive as they collect nectar from gum tree blossom
The black native bees bustling around, collecting blue gum tree nectar”

This song gives a composite portrait of native bees buzzing around the flowers of the forest red gum or "blue gum' tree (virribarra is the name for the flowers, and jandurru for the tree itself, Eucalyptus tereticomis, collecting pollen and returning to the queen bee and the hive.

Check it out at the Elixir Music House, 92 Abbott street. Exhibiting soon!

゚ 🖤💛❤️

16/08/2026

‘Share the water’ - Acrylic on canvas 🖤💛❤️

The Mamu story for this painting is one I’ve recently learned from my family. The black goanna is accused of hiding the water from the rat and the kangaroo so they conspired to follow the black goanna to where he is hiding the water. The kangaroo hopped from one side of the goanna then to the other side, making sure not to me be seen, making sure to be sneaky. Then when kangaroo confronted the black goanna, he (goanna) denied the accusations, stating that he’s not hiding the water. Then after more questioning by the kangaroo the goanna decided to share the water with everyone, and stop hiding the water. He lifted his tail up off the little spring in the ground and out came bursting streams of fresh water, leaving no one thirsty anymore.

゚

12/08/2026

Take a look at this! My Pathway has been a big part of my journey and I’m so proud to be where I am now to when I started pursuing my passion 🖤💛❤️

28/07/2026

Stay tuned for some exciting artwork I’m creating for Elixir Music House! 🖤💛❤️

Sneak peek of our artwork being completed for our Mini Fringe Fest - VOICES OF KIN coming up in a month's time!!

Created by the amazing Mamu woman SELINA FURNARI Selena Furnari

Wait til you see her exhibition in house over this time too! 🫶🏼🌺🎨🖼

More announcements soooooooon .......

Partnerships 》BBQ cook ups 》Art events

Put it in your dairy!!

Come share, enjoy and be a part of ...... where culture creates connection 🌴🎶🍛

17/07/2026

This three‑piece series is a tribute to the late Kuku Midigi man and renowned contemporary artist Arone Raymond Meeks. The work honours both his artistic legacy and his vibrant drag persona, Josephine Falls, capturing the spirit, humour and boldness he carried into every part of his creative life.

Throughout the series, the Black‑Necked Stork (jabiru) appears as a central motif, acknowledging Arone’s totem and the cultural significance it held for him. One jabiru carries a bag filled with Arone’s knowledge; a symbolic vessel holding his stories, teachings and the creative energy he shared so generously with community.

These pieces celebrate Arone’s life, his imagination, and the way his presence continues to ripple through Country, culture and contemporary Indigenous art. 🖤💛❤️

17/07/2026

This year for NAIDOC Week, I created a three‑piece series as a tribute to the late artist Arone Raymond Meeks, and to honour his drag persona, Josephine Falls.

Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve felt a deep connection to Arone and his artwork; something I couldn’t explain at the time. His pieces were always so full of life, movement and spirit that they left me in a state of awe. Even back then, I knew he was someone truly special.

As I’ve grown into my own journey as an artist, I’ve learned so much about who Arone was, how he worked, and the cultural foundations that shaped his practice. I’ve also had dreams of the jabiru visiting me in a river, and when I later learned that the jabiru was his totem, everything made sense. I knew immediately that they needed to be part of this series.

This work is my way of honouring Arone’s legacy, acknowledging the impact he had on me, and celebrating the strength, beauty and creativity he carried into the world.

✨SOLD ✨

26/06/2026

✨ABOUT ME✨

As an artist, I am committed to preserving knowledge, celebrating culture and inspiring deeper respect for Country. 🖤💛❤️

29/04/2026

“Reef Riders” - As a proud Mamu woman, my work is deeply connected to the stories, spirit, and living landscapes of Far North Queensland. Reef Riders shares a Dreamtime story passed through neighbouring coastal communities, of three sisters who transformed into stingrays and became one with the sea.

The Stingray Sisters journeyed across the Great Barrier Reef, their movements shaping the coastline and forming the sandy beaches that hold memory and meaning today. As they glide over the reef, they do so gently, never touching the coral, showing respect for the delicate balance of life beneath the surface. This is a reflection of how we are taught to move with Country, not against it.

Growing up surrounded by the Wet Tropics and the reef, I have always felt a strong connection to the water and the stories it holds. Through this piece, I honour the way these stories are carried; through dance, song, and shared knowledge, keeping culture alive across generations and communities.

Reef Riders is my way of continuing that practice. It speaks to protection, movement, and deep respect for sea Country, while celebrating the strength and grace of the Stingray Sisters as they continue to travel with us.

Side note: The modern “Stingray Sisters” of Maningrida often use the traditional stingray Dreamtime story to reinforce their rights and responsibilities as caretakers of their marine territory in the Top End and FNQ region. The sisters became known for their campaign against a proposed oil and gas exploration project that threatened their sacred sites and fishing grounds, documented in the film series “Stingray Sisters”. The story of three young Indigenous women (Noni, Alice, and Grace Eather) fighting to protect their ancestral sea country, which is often intertwined with this ancient tradition.

Mixed media on canvas.