Fondation Cartier presents the solo survey exhibition of Aboriginal artist Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori, on view through November 6. Sally Gabori, renowned contemporary Australian artist, began painting at 80-years-old, achieving swift international success just before her death in 2015. Through 30 large-scale, beautifully colorful paintings, the exhibition—formed with the help of the artist’s family and the Kaiadilt community—pays homage to the visionary, her history and unique character. The artworks, some created in collaboration with fellow female Kaiadilt artists, as well as sisters and nieces, expressively map important locations in the narrative of Sally Gabori’s life on Bentinck Island, in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
“It wasn’t just a painting, it was a whole story, a whole family history,” said Bella Gabori, Sally Gabori’s granddaughter. “This is our way of keeping our culture alive. I think my grandma, through her painting, has done wonders in keeping that.”