Seed Gathering Napangati Women 1996

Makinti Napanangka made this painting, Seed Gathering Napangati Women, with a limited palette of earth tones, ochre, and white. Look how the marks almost vibrate – you can really feel the movement of the artist’s hand, building up this field of concentric forms. The painting has this incredible texture, doesn't it? The paint isn't applied smoothly; you can see each stroke, each dab. It's almost like she's building up the surface, creating a topography that mirrors the landscape she’s depicting. I keep coming back to that cluster of marks at the bottom; they feel like a concentrated burst of energy, anchoring the whole composition. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin's grids, but wilder, more intuitive. Napanangka’s work has a directness that cuts through a lot of artifice; she's not trying to trick you or impress you, she's just laying it all out there. This openness is what makes her work so compelling. It feels like an invitation to slow down, look closely, and connect with something elemental.