Tingari 2003

This painting, Tingari, was made by Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri, using what looks like acrylic on canvas. The repeated geometric forms seem to vibrate on the surface, as if he’s not trying to illustrate a story, but activate a space. I love the way the artist has created an overall pattern from these squat shapes, and the earthy palette of red and cream really anchors the image. The brown looks opaque, laid down first, and the white lines sit on top. Each box is carefully ruled, but varies slightly in shape, creating a grid which is both structured and organic. I wonder if the artist used masking tape? The process feels meditative and simple, like Agnes Martin maybe, but with a deep connection to storytelling and place. The longer I look, the more the surface seems to shift and change, like the desert itself.