Review of "Irriṯitja Kuwarri Tjungu: Contemporary Aboriginal Painting from the Australian Desert"

 NYU’s Grey Art Museum just ended their exhibition of Australia’s “most iconic Aboriginal art movement”, but I feel lucky that I saw it last month and did not miss it. The exhibition, titled Irriṯitja Kuwarri Tjungu: Contemporary Aboriginal Painting from the Australian Desert, is a collection from the oldest Aboriginal art organization in Australia and one of the most globally recognized Aboriginal art movements. Yet I had never had the opportunity to view these paintings in person until now. 

The space itself was set up thoughtfully. Information on the wall separated certain paintings into categories- for example Women of Papunya or the importance of Tjukurppa, or the Aboriginal ties to their land. I found myself being drawn to the works that consisted of hundreds or even thousands of miniscule dots.

One could contemplate how long each piece would have taken, with the immense attention to detail and precision, for hours. The graphic elements such as the use of circles, spirals, and lines, stood out clearly as being abstractions of organic elements. Even before reading the plaques I understood the connection between the brightly colored geometric shapes and the dedication to the hills, plains, and animals on the land the Papunya people had been removed from. 

   The paintings are done on scraps of cardboard, masonite, and linoleum, yet walking around the exhibit you would expect nothing short of modern tools and resources. This exhibit is fascinating to everybody whether you are interested in the history of Papunya Tula artists, or just looking to enjoy the kaleidoscope of dots.