Untitled 2007

Doreen Reid Nakamarra made this untitled painting with acrylic on canvas. Just look at how the repeated, almost vibrating lines create this incredible visual texture. It's like looking at the desert shimmering in the heat. The palette is understated, earthy – browns and tans – which adds to that sense of the natural world. I love how the painting feels both meticulously planned and totally organic. Each line, each mark, is a record of a decision, a gesture. The way the lines undulate and shift reminds me that art-making is such a physical process. You can almost feel Nakamarra's hand moving across the canvas. It's like she’s mapping something out, maybe a landscape, maybe a feeling. Agnes Martin comes to mind, the way she built up these quiet, repetitive structures, but Nakamarra has this totally unique sense of rhythm. It’s a reminder that art isn’t about answers, it’s about the questions we ask and the ways we keep the conversation going.