Untitled 1999

Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri made this untitled painting with earth pigments, translating Country into line and form. The ochre and white tones create a shimmering, pulsating field. Close up, you can see how the paint is applied in layers, each mark a testament to the artist's hand. The texture of the canvas peeks through, adding depth and complexity. Notice how the circles, some perfect, others slightly off-kilter, are connected by lines that radiate outwards. These are not just abstract shapes; they are a map of the land, a record of the artist's connection to Country. The more I look at it, the more I am reminded of Agnes Martin, but a Martin filtered through the experience of the Australian outback. Tjapaltjarri, like Martin, invites us to slow down, to contemplate the subtle nuances of color and form, and to find meaning in the interplay of line and space. Artmaking is about seeing and feeling.