Untitled Cave Wall Paintings 1977

David Chethlahe Paladin made this painting of cave wall paintings sometime before 1984, probably with acrylic on canvas. I love the way he’s built up the surface, it’s rough and uneven, a kind of stand-in for the texture of a real cave wall, like he's building a world. The cool palette is really striking; it feels nocturnal, mysterious. Look at that little figure on the left, dancing or maybe flying. The green paint is applied thinly, almost like a stain, letting the texture of the surface show through. It's like the whole painting is breathing. Paladin reminds me a bit of Agnes Martin, in the way they both use repetition and subtle variation to create a sense of quiet contemplation, except with, you know, way more snakes and suns. Ultimately, art like this reminds us that there's always more than one way to see, and feel, and be in the world.