Untitled 2002

Here's an untitled painting made by Makinti Napanangka, probably using acrylic on canvas. Look at the rhythmic lines of ochre and cream! I can imagine Makinti making this, almost like a meditative act, each stroke building on the last. What was she thinking? Maybe of landscapes, memory, home. I love how the paint isn’t too thick, it's almost stained into the canvas, giving it a sense of lightness. The texture is so subtle. That edge where the colors meet isn’t sharp; it’s soft and organic. It's so tender. It reminds me of Agnes Martin, how she used repetition to conjure a whole world with very minimal means. Like Martin, Makinti creates a sense of quiet wonder through simple gestures. I think artists like Makinti and Martin teach us to slow down, to really see and feel the world around us. They show us that painting is a conversation, a way of thinking, and a way of being.