Untitled 2008

This untitled painting was made by Makinti Napanangka, who was born around 1930. It’s a field of yellows and whites, laid down as lines that run parallel with each other, a rhythm made with a brush. I imagine Napanangka standing, brush in hand, making marks that aren’t quite straight, wobbling in a way that feels natural. There are subtle variations in the yellow: parts are brighter and parts are more muted. I think about the artist making this work, the focus it might have required, and the commitment to a visual language that is at once simple and complex. The white here is not just a background but an active partner, creating a texture that's almost like a conversation between the colors. There is a kind of energy that is a link with other artists. It is not about answers but keeping the conversation going.