Untitled 1999

Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri made this painting with earth pigments, and I'm thinking he was really in the zone. Look at these lines: these circles and triangles, like he's mapping out a whole world. I'm picturing him sitting on the ground, brush in hand, totally focused. I feel this calmness radiating from the painting, this sense of connection to something bigger than himself. The sandy hues feel very grounded. It reminds me of Agnes Martin's grids. This painting really resonates, there's something about the repetition and variation that feels so human. It's like he's marking time, each stroke a meditation. Painting is always a dialogue, an exchange of ideas across time. I find the way he builds up the image fascinating. It’s like one mark inspires the next, a dance between intention and accident.