A Fine Old Aboriginal Bark Painting from Western Arnhem Land Northern Territory Australia
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| Collection No. | T-5617 |
|---|---|
| Size | 97x46cm |
A Fine Old Aboriginal Bark Painting from the Oenpelli Area in Western Arnhem Land Northern Australia
The painting depicts Mimih Spirits Hunting, where they carry their spears, woomera (spear thrower), and Dilly Bags. The Mimih spirits live in the nooks and crannies of the rocky landscape, coming out at night. They are said to be so thin and frail that they can emerge from their hiding places only when there is no wind, otherwise, they would be blown away. The Mimih not only created these lively self-portraits, but also are the dreaming ancestors who taught people to paint, hunt, dance, and compose songs. They are like humans, but they live in a different dimension. They were depicted during the freshwater period. The Mimi are dangerous if approached the wrong way, may kick, knee, slap, smash with a racket-like object or sit on someone, which causes sometimes fatal injuries.
Also depicted is Wititj the python & Manmakkawarri (the salmon catfish) Catfish which is a good eating fish, it is found in the freshwater rivers, creeks, and waterholes of West Arnhem Land. There is a Catfish Dreaming site in Gunbalanya Wititj who appears in the sacred Wagilag Sisters’ Story. A simple version of the story goes like this. The Wagilag are two sisters who travelled from south Arnhem Land (the Roper River area), eventually reaching a sacred waterhole in which, unknown to them, the python Wititj lived. The foods the Wagilag sisters caught and collected, when placed on a fire, jumped up and disappeared into the waterhole. When one of the sisters gave birth to a baby, Wititj smelled the afterbirth blood. Disturbed by this and by all the creatures jumping into his waterhole, the monstrous python emerged and swallowed the two sisters and the child.
Cross-hatching on bark paintings called Raark is one of the most distinctive and beautiful features of Arnhem Land Bark Paintings closely-spaced fine lines are drawn in particular colours, intersecting each other. The chosen colours may be specific to a particular clan, and the effect is difficult to describe but produces a deep impression on the viewer. Traditionally, the most sacred designs drawn on bodies during ceremonies were drawn with a quality called “bir’yun”, which is loosely translated as scintillation (as in the twinkling of stars) but carries a connotation of sunlight reflected off the sparkling water.
Indigenous Artists from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory use crushed earth ochre pigments to paint on sheets of eucalyptus bark, They paint beautiful spiritual images of deep cultural significance that show their spiritual connection with specific tracts of country
Arnhem Land Rock Art sites are some thousands of years old, where ancient rock shelters were painted and maintained over generations. Arnhem Land is world-renowned for its Rock Art.
The designs seen on Arnhem Land Bark Paintings are traditional designs that are owned by the artist, or his “skin”, or his clan, and cannot be painted by other artists. In many cases, these designs would traditionally be used to paint the body for ceremonies or rituals, and also to decorate logs used in ceremonies. Artists also would paint designs on the bark walls and roofs of their shelters where they stayed during seasonal food gathering.
Provenance: Painted at Gunbalanya (Oenpelli), Arnhem Land circa 1975. The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic and Australian Aboriginal
If you have any Bark Paintings, I am always interested in buying & I pay top prices for Bark Paintings that I like.
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