Untitled 2009

Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri made this painting with dots, probably using a brush or maybe even a stick, and just look at those meandering lines of red and white. The repetition here is a reminder that artmaking is all about process. When I see this piece, I think about the rhythm of the hand, the way one mark leads to another, and another, and another. The texture is so dense, it almost feels like you could touch it, like a bumpy surface. In the middle, those geometric shapes almost feel like a maze. But look closer, the dot density changes throughout, creating this push and pull with the foreground and background. These subtle shifts in texture and density make me think of Agnes Martin, her grids that are never quite perfect. Both artists invite us to slow down, to really see, and to feel the subtle vibrations of the work. It's a reminder that art doesn't need to shout to be powerful.