POLY NGAL - ARNWETKY (BUSH PLUM)
POLY NGAL
ARNWETKY (BUSH PLUM), 2004
synthetic polymer paint on linen150 x 121 cm
PROVENANCE
Delmore Gallery, NT Cat No. 04H07
STORY
In this expansive and powerful painting, Poly Ngal commands the canvas with a radiant field of red ochre, yellow, white, and soft gold. The colours shift and wash gently into one another, creating a surface that feels both luminous and grounded, an evocation of the rich desert earth and the seasonal abundance of Arnwetky (conkerberry). The scale of the work allows her mark-making to open up, giving the composition a sweeping rhythm and an almost atmospheric diffusion of light.
The tonal transitions carry a quiet intensity, revealing Ngal’s mastery of colour and her instinctive understanding of balance and movement. Each stroke contributes to a broader sense of shimmering vitality, as if the canvas itself is breathing with the cycles of Country. This work stands as a commanding example of her mature practice: bold, immersive, and deeply connected to the ancestral landscape she paints.
