Lilly Kelly Napangardi
Lilly Kelly Napangardi
Tali, 2005
acrylic on linen, 1500 x 1800 mm
signed verso: Lilly Kelly Napangardi GUN105068
Illustrated through subtle dots and fine dashes Tali (2005) depicts a topography of sand hills in the Central Australian country Watiyawanu, homeland of Lilly Kelly Napangardi.
Symbols are an essential part of a long artistic tradition in Aboriginal art and are used to retain and record significant information. Traditionally symbols were used to illustrate points within the landscape and navigation, or to illustrate ‘Dreamtime Stories’.
Dots are one of the conventional symbols used in the Central and Western desert regions of Central Australia and Napangardi is largely known for her dot paintings of sand hills.
Relying on traditional symbols her works note her country’s terrain, its winds and the desert after rain. The tiny dots in Tali offer a detailed description of the landscape with almost microscopic detail but the overall effect of the painting is macroscopic - walking past the painting the viewer has an immersive experience of her vast landscape. Remarkably Tali captures the ephemeral nature of the drifting, changing desert landscape.
Lilly Kelly Napangardi is a well-respected Aboriginal elder who holds authority over the “Woman Dreaming” story associated with the Kunajarrayi people and she now teaches younger generations the sacred traditions of the region. (Text by Anna Jackson)