Dibirdibi Topway 

Sally Gabori made Dibirdibi Topway using acrylic on canvas. It's a recent work, made using materials associated with mass production and the supply chain of art materials. Consider the thickness and texture of the paint, and how the artist has applied each layer. She built the composition through a complex layering of colors, almost like weaving, with dots of black, yellow, and white applied to the background. The painting is rich in color and dense textures, which create a tactile quality on the canvas. Gabori, an Indigenous Australian artist, began painting later in life, and her art reflects memories of her ancestral land and culture. In that light, the bright palette and the tactile application of the paint can be seen as a powerful act of cultural expression, and a reclamation of identity through making. Through understanding the materiality and the artist's process, we gain insight into the cultural significance and the immense labor involved in the creation of Dibirdibi Topway.