Monterey Bay Aquarium: Exhibits – Sharks: Australia Gallery-Bark Paintings

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Australia Gallery

For thousands of years, the Aboriginal people of Australia have been painting on bark to tell their stories. Since the languages spoken by the Aboriginal tribes were not written, painting was an important means of communication. The artists grind colored rock to form ochre paints and use bark from eucalyptus trees for their canvas. These traditions of bark painting survive in the Yolngu people who live in Northern Australia.

Aboriginal artist woman (© Penny Tweedle)

Closeup of bark painting (© Penny Tweedle)

Tiger Shark
This painting depicts the artist's ancestor, whose spirit was transformed into a tiger shark. Many bark paintings show a kind of X-ray vision depicting the inner organs and skeletons of animals and humans. This X-ray style reminds us that this is a mythic creature and not a real shark. Look for the shark's
U-shaped liver. (Maw Munungurr, late 20th century)

Artists make cuts in the trunks of eucalyptus trees (© Belinda Wright)

A bark painting begins with the slash of a sharp axe. Artists make cuts in the trunks of eucalyptus trees, then strip away pieces of bark. They use a forked pole to climb up the tree.

Artist prepares bark for painting (© Penny Tweedle)

All loose external bark is scraped off the piece and its surface is smoothed. Next, they heat the bark to
flatten it.

Adorn the paintings with designs (© Belinda Wright)

Finally, using brushes, twigs, their fingers and natural pigments, they adorn the paintings with designs handed down by their ancestors. What do you think this artist is painting?

Australia

Inspiring conservation of the oceans