Untitled 1997

Editor: So, this "Untitled" acrylic painting by Makinti Napanangka from 1997... it’s like a warm desert dreamscape, isn't it? The ochre tones create such a strong, earthy mood. I'm curious, what catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: Well, it’s not just the colours, which are absolutely baked by the sun, but the story whispered by those looping patterns. It’s a songline, a map, a whole history embedded in paint. Do you see how the circles cluster and disperse? It reminds me of seeds scattered on the wind. Editor: I do, almost like looking at an aerial view of the landscape. So the "songline" aspect is tied to the narrative element? Curator: Precisely! These aren’t just pretty patterns; they represent the artist’s Dreaming, her connection to the land and her ancestors. Each mark has significance, revealing layers of meaning for those who know how to read them. It's almost like visual poetry. Can you feel that pulse within the work? Editor: Definitely! The rhythm in those repeated shapes is almost hypnotic. It is less of an 'image' and more of an experience, pulling you into the painting itself. Curator: Yes, and that's Napanangka’s gift. She invites us into her world, into a landscape both ancient and eternally present. I keep coming back to wonder what it was like when the painting was in progress: where her studio was, who she was painting with, the sounds... Editor: That really puts it in perspective. It makes me think about all the hidden stories within abstract art. I never thought I could get so much from what appears to be an image of geometric shapes, but has opened into more, something akin to a spiritual cartography. Curator: Absolutely, sometimes the most profound narratives are etched in abstraction, urging us to look closer, to listen deeper.