"Nobody taught me how to paint. I put down my own ideas. I saw these places myself; I went there with the old people. I paint jilji (sand hills), jumu (soak water), jiwari (rock hole), pamerr (hills and rock country). I think about mangarri (vegetable food) and kuyu (game) from my country and when I was there. When I paint I am thinking about law from a long time ago. I am thinking about the country, my country.'1

Wakartu Cory Surprise's paintings reflect robust mark making. The strength and confidence of her hand delivers almost muscular works. Epitomised by her joyous use of colour, mixed directly onto the canvas, where voluminous forms of reds, blues and yellows spread across the canvas, only contained by the su...