Dibirdibi Country 2010

Curator: I see landscapes in this one. Big, bold land. That unapologetic red earth of Australia, maybe? Editor: We’re looking at "Dibirdibi Country," a 2010 acrylic on canvas piece by Sally Gabori. Gabori was a Kaiadilt artist from Bentinck Island, part of Queensland. Her paintings burst onto the art scene late in her life. Curator: Late bloomer! I love it. So this isn’t just some color field exercise? Because at first glance, I thought, you know, very gestural, abstract…but hearing 'country' changes things. It roots it. Suddenly that big smear of white becomes salt flats reflecting a blazing sun. Editor: The story of how she began painting is remarkable. The Mornington Island Arts and Craft Centre supplied the elderly women with materials and encouraged them to depict their ancestral lands. Suddenly these incredibly vibrant depictions of places significant to their history emerged. The colors—they speak to a fierce connection. Curator: Exactly. Fierce is the word. But look how she's applied it, right? Not delicate, not trying to mimic reality. These are emotional landscapes. Memory scapes, almost. Like the feeling of a place more than a literal representation. You know, when a place just sits in your bones and hums? Editor: Absolutely. And I think that boldness also disrupts some of the expectations placed on Indigenous art. It challenges this idea of "authenticity" that sometimes gets projected onto artists like Gabori. What does it mean to represent a culture, a history, through abstract forms and these strikingly modern colors? Curator: Makes me think, who decides what’s authentic anyway? And for whom? What’s authentic for *me* is when a piece makes my stomach flip a little, and this definitely does. This shouts! Editor: I agree. Gabori’s work entered the global art conversation, which raises questions about how institutions can support artists while also addressing potential appropriation or misrepresentation. It requires careful and respectful navigation. Curator: Absolutely. Museums become active participants, right? Like midwives, helping these stories into the world without, you know, hijacking the delivery. Anyway, this painting makes me want to book a flight! Editor: And I think it serves as a crucial reminder that "country" isn’t just land; it's history, memory, and the deep wellspring of cultural identity. Curator: Hear, hear! Makes me want to grab a brush, but maybe I’ll just stick to visiting for now.