Story Place: My Father's Country 2005

‘This is my Land, this is my Sea. This is who I am.’ How can an artist represent a place without realism? What counts as a landscape painting? 🖼️ I love the vibrant colours of this painting, ‘Story Place: My Father’s Country’ (2005). The piece was created by Sally Gabori (1924-2015), an Aboriginal Australian artist who specialised in vivid abstract works. This was one of her very first paintings… begun at the age of 81, when she was given a paint set in a care home for the elderly! She went on to produce over 2000 paintings, working almost daily until she could not physically continue. It’s never too late to pick up something new! This striking painting uses acrylic on linen. It might be completely abstract, yet it captures the cultural identity of Gabori’s homeland: Thundi on Bentinck Island, Queensland. Uninfluenced by Western traditions and standards, Gabori used her memories of her country as inspiration. The result is eye-catching and exuberant. 🫟 ‘Story Place: My Father’s Country’ makes use of fluid, circular shapes that are almost reminiscent of eyes. According to Gabori, these circles represented the fishing areas on Bentinck Island. The brushstrokes are bold and expressive, building a tone of freedom and spontaneity that reflects the ripples of the river. What do you think? How does Sally Gabori’s work challenge traditional expectations of the landscape genre?