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A Superb Aboriginal Painting (a numbered screen print of the original) from Western Arnhem Land Northern Territory Australia
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| Collection No. | TB-129 |
|---|---|
| Size | 60cm x 82cm |
This Superb Painting ( a numbered signed print of the original) by the famous Artist Bardyal (Lofty) Nadjamerrek, (1926-2009) from the Outstation Gamarrwagan, Western Arnhem Land Northern Australia Language: Kunwinjku
“ The Meeting “ circa 1980. The original Painting is likely in an Australian public collection
This Numbered screen print 108 or 500/ signed & artist thumbprint on edge. On Archival Thick Paper
This superb painting called ” The Meeting ” depicts a ceremonial gathering in the artist’s land.
He began painting works for sale on bark in 1969 at Oenpelli and has developed an outstanding reputation first as a painter on bark and more recently on paper, using traditional ochre pigments.
His X-ray style of painting is strongly linked back to the tradition of painting on rock and his own experience as a young man. He is particularly known for paintings of Ngalyod and Yingarna (the Rainbow Serpents).
In 1972 Bardyal left Oenpelli and returned to clan lands in western Arnhem Land and in 1988 he moved to Gamarrwagan where he has lived ever since.
Lofty possesses a rich store of mythological knowledge. As a ritually senior man, he is responsible for Ancestral sites and mythologies from his own
patrilineal clan lands (father’s country). For this reason, he is known as Djungay (manager).
Subjects and Themes: Rainbow serpents, other mythical beings; animals
Collections held: National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Australian Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney), numerous other museums and major collections.
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 the 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 stayed during seasonal food gathering.
Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic and Australian Aboriginal
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