Dibirdibi Country 2012

Sally Gabori, an Indigenous Australian artist, painted "Dibirdibi Country" using acrylic on canvas, a vibrant expression of her ancestral homeland. Gabori began painting in her late 70s, after a lifetime of living and experiencing the landscape of Bentinck Island, her birthplace. "Dibirdibi Country" is not just a landscape; it's a deeply personal map of memory and belonging. The swirling reds, pinks, and whites evoke the textures and essence of her country. It's important to remember that for Gabori, who was forcibly removed from her home as a child, painting was an act of cultural and personal reclamation. As she once said, “I paint my country, my home.” The painting defies traditional Western landscape conventions, instead offering an abstract vision rooted in Indigenous knowledge and connection to place. It reflects Gabori's resilience and the enduring strength of her cultural identity. The artwork pulses with life.