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Bark Paintings
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The painter cuts through the bark and tears off a rectangular piece. When first removed, the bark is rough and curled to the shape of the tree and must therefore be smoothed and flattened. The outer layer is hacked off with an axe and the bark is then scraped until smooth. A fire is set at just the right temperature by adjusting leaves and twigs and the bark is placed on the flames to cure and uncurl. Most of the moisture is driven out and the bark slowly unbends in the heat. It is then weighted for several days and sticks are bound with hand-spun local string to either end in order to minimise warping. The painting is then commenced. After the bark is purchased by Injalak it is weighted under bricks for three months to minimalise any potential for future movement. The first bark paintings
were collected from the Oenpelli region in 1912. This pai The bark painters of Arnhem Land work from a limited palette, rarely using more than the 4 basic colours: red black, yellow and white, although sometimes the primary colours are mixed to give a pink, orange or grey. Red and yellows come from a variety of ochres including hematite, ironstone and limonite. White is generally gypsum or pipeclay and black is made from manganese ore or charcoal. The pigments are ground finely and mixed with water and vegetable fixatives. The most common natural fixative used at Gunbalanya is the gum or resin from various local trees however the artists more often use a commercial glue. |
The bark
used for bark paintings is from the stringy bark tree (Eucalyptus
tetrodonta). It must be knot free without splits or termite damage
and can only be removed from the trees from the wet season until
the middle of the dry season. 
nting is part
of the world's oldest continuous painting tradition. The subject of
these paintings generally relates to the plants, animals and natural
phenomena that are significant to Kunwinjku culture.
