Rare Australian Aboriginal Bark Paintings on Exhibit at Beijing's National Museum of China

Old Masters: Australia’s Great Bark Artists, an exhibition featuring a delicate and rare collection of aboriginal bark paintings from Australia's Northern Territory, is now on display at Beijing's National Museum of China.

Aside from featuring 123 bark paintings, the exhibition is also comprised of 18 carvings, three log coffins, and 10 painting tools, representing a significant collection of aboriginal works.

These bark paintings are designs painted with ochres (natural pigment made of clay and sand) on the smooth inner surface of sheets of bark from stringybark eucalyptus trees. The origin of the practice of painting on bark cannot be determined, but the patterns, according to Mathew Trinca, the director of the National Museum of Australia, are handed down through generations, tracing back to cultural relics from when aboriginal people first inhabited the Australian continent.

The 123 specimens on display were painted between 1948 and 1985 by master bark painters including Yirawala and Narritjin Maymuru, Mawalan Marika, David Malangi, and their contemporaries, who helped to bring one of the oldest continuous traditions of art into the modern era. The paintings also span three regions – western, central, and eastern Arnhem Land, one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. The featured artists are a good representative of each region's different painting styles.

Intricate designs such as sketches of animals, birds, and hunting scenes reflect a rich and diverse culture, with each symbol and pattern enriched with specific mythological origins and meanings. The works are mainly painted in natural colors: deep red, chrome yellow, white, and brown, indicating the close bond between human beings and nature.

The exhibition runs until Sep 2, and will then visit various other venues across China over the course of 20 months.

National Museum of China
Tue-Sun (until Sep 2) 9am-5pm. RMB 50 (adults), RMB 30 (students). 16 East Chang’an Avenue, Dongcheng District (6511 6400; info@chnmuseum.cn)
东城区东厂安街16号

This article originally appeared on our sister site beijingkids.

Photos: National Museum of Australia