Dibirdibi Country – Topway 2006

Sally Gabori made Dibirdibi Country - Topway with what looks like acrylic on canvas, working with blocks of colour in bold and unexpected ways. I love the way the painting feels both immediate and deeply considered. The materiality of the paint is really striking. Thick strokes of white and orange give a tangible sense of the artist’s hand, while the more thinly applied pinks and purples create contrast, lending the painting an airy quality. I am drawn to the purple shape at the centre of the canvas, with its striking yellow outline. There’s something both grounded and playful in this area, a tension that resonates throughout the painting. Gabori only began painting in her seventies, and in that short time, she produced a huge body of work. Like Etel Adnan, she shows us it’s never too late to find your voice. The way she combines colours and shapes in this piece feels like a conversation – an ongoing exchange of ideas about art, place, and memory. There's no right answer, just a feeling of openness and possibility.