Pitjantjatjara artist Noli Rictor’s dot painting, portraying the expansive spinifex plains of remote Western Australia, has captured the prestigious $100,000 first prize at the 2024 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Natsiaa). His artwork, titled Kamanti, spans nearly three meters and features a culturally significant site for the Pila Nguru, or Spinifex people. This site is central to the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa, the Two Men Creation Line story, detailing the journey of a father and son water serpent during their ceremonial travels.
The panel praised Rictor’s dynamic use of colors and patterns, noting that the painting almost seems to animate itself, challenging the viewer’s focus and captivating them with its painterly quality. They described the piece as “truly majestic” for its visual impact and mesmerizing appeal.
Expressing his joy through a translator, Rictor shared his deep personal connection to the depicted land, reminiscing about his childhood experiences drinking from the local rock holes, the same ones now celebrated in photographs. “It’s my country,” he stated, reflecting a profound bond with his homeland.
Rictor’s unique background as the youngest Aboriginal person from his community to make “first contact” in 1986 adds to his compelling narrative. After growing up in the Great Victoria Desert in Western Australia, Rictor moved to Yakadunya following nuclear tests at Maralinga that displaced many Spinifex people. His family, known for translating oral histories into paintings to affirm their sovereignty since the early 1990s, has profoundly influenced his artistic journey.
Adam Worrall, director of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, commended Rictor’s work as a powerful reflection of his exceptional artistic skills and his deep, enduring connection to his ancestral lands.