Lupulnga Rocksite 2004

This painting is by Makinti Napanangka, and it's called Lupulnga Rocksite. Look at those strokes, like little rivers flowing across the canvas, each one a decision, a path taken. There's something really satisfying about how the yellow ochre is laid down, so earthy and raw. You can almost feel the grit of the pigment. The marks aren't perfect, they wiggle and wobble, creating this wonderful tension between control and letting go. See how she lets some of the white peek through, creating this vibrating energy? I love that she embraced the texture of the surface, letting it add another layer of visual interest. It reminds me of Agnes Martin’s grids, but warmer, more human. Like the desert itself, Napanangka’s paintings offer a way of seeing the world as a place of infinite possibilities, where every mark matters.