Painting 97I003 1997

Editor: So, here we have Abie Loy Kemarre's "Painting 97I003" from 1997, done with acrylic paint. It's overwhelmingly… textured. The whole canvas is just covered in these tiny marks, kind of giving the impression of a dried-up riverbed or cracked earth. It feels incredibly organic and earthy, almost like a living surface. What do you make of it? Curator: It's funny you say that. I see something similar. Looking at this, I immediately think of Country. Abie Loy Kemarre, like many Aboriginal artists, doesn't just *depict* the land. She channels it. See how those layered patterns create such a palpable sense of depth? It's like the painting itself is breathing, mirroring the age and profound stories embedded within the landscape. Almost as if she's pulling something out from within herself, no? Editor: It’s the texture, right? I mean, the consistent mark-making across the entire picture plane definitely suggests a deep engagement with the process, maybe a kind of meditative act? Curator: Exactly! Think about the act of dot-painting itself. It's repetitive, demanding, almost rhythmic. Each dot is a tiny, individual gesture, but together they form something vast and intricate. It's like Loy Kemarre is mapping not just a physical place, but also the network of connections—ancestral, spiritual, ecological—that define her relationship to it. Do you find it beautiful? Or are you somewhat intimidated by its endless texture? Editor: Intimidated at first, for sure, because it’s all surface, so that makes me slow down. But, on second viewing I think I find a quiet strength to its beauty, with a deeper feeling of Country within it. I learned to appreciate slowing down to admire and respect Aboriginal history and their land. Curator: Yes! The painting's meditative quality invites slow and thoughtful contemplation. You've hit upon something crucial: respecting the deep well of knowledge and history contained within this deceptively simple artwork. This reminds me how painting Country is an act of cultural preservation.