Lupulnga 2005

This painting by Makinti Napanangka is a field of golden rods. It feels like she built it line by line, watching the image emerge, almost like a slow, steady breath. Imagine her standing there, brush in hand, letting each stroke find its place, listening to the painting as it dictates its own becoming. There's a rhythm here, a pulse. The ochre paint is applied directly, and these vertical marks create a kind of optical vibration. And then this ochre is punctuated by a band of coral color. And these shapes create a kind of visual emphasis, don’t they? I think of Agnes Martin and her quiet, contemplative grids and lines. They both share a dedication to the simple gesture, the meditative act of repetition. The conversation between artists across time and space—it’s what keeps the whole thing moving, this beautiful exchange of ideas. It allows for so many readings, so many ways of seeing.