Nyilyari's works represent the lakes that the Tingari ancestors visited on their travels. He uses concentric lozenges to symbolize them. These lakes or waterholes are linked by key-like lines that correspond to the paths taken by other ancestors.
While the angularity of the forms is certainly striking, Nyilyari's most personal innovation is undoubtedly the treatment of the canvas background. The blurred repetition of the main motifs gives Nyilyari's work a mirage-like pulsation, evoking the glittering heat of the desert.
