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Daniel Walbidi is a young artist whose composition, colour palette, vision and persistence have drawn international attention to the art of his people and his country. In recent years, he has initiated the art movement at Bidyadanga, a community formerly the La Grange Mission, which is 250 kilometres south of Broome and home primarily to the Karrajarri people.

Walbidi paints Kirriwirri, his grandfather and grandmother’s country, incorporating layers of fine dotted lines that crisscross the canvas to show the talis (sand hills) and salt lakes of his desert country. Kirriwirri 2010 is topographic view of his country and depicts a jila (living waterhole) near Well 33 on the Canning Stock Route in the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia. A palette of translucent whites, bright orange and deep reds are highlighted with outlines of gold paint, and the painting glows as though seen under the midday sun. The sparse outer edges slowly become denser toward the centre, leading the viewer’s eye to the dark waterhole.

Although only painting for a short time, Walbidi’s current works show maturity beyond his years and demonstrate his mastery in executing some of the most stunning works to come from this region to date. Walbidi is a young man with an extraordinary vision to successfully reveal the strength, depth and vibrancy of his culture and country to the world.

Tina Baum curator, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art
in artonview, issue 64,  summer 2010

in artonview, issue 64, summer 2010