Women's Hair String 2008

Makinti Napanangka painted Women's Hair String with acrylic on canvas. Her sinuous strokes of pink and white against a black background evoke the sacred women's ceremonies of the Papunya region, where hair-string belts are crafted and exchanged. Consider the image of hair, a symbol of strength, identity, and connection across cultures. We can see the ritual importance of hair in diverse practices, from the elaborate hairstyles of ancient Egyptian royalty to the tonsures of monks, each bearing its own symbolic weight. In Napanangka's painting, the concentric lines might also remind us of the labyrinth, an ancient symbol of pilgrimage. This artwork is a powerful convergence, where ancient symbols merge with the personal and cultural experience of the artist. Its sinuous forms offer a glimpse into a world where memory and myth intertwine.