Behind the scenes
WARNING: Visitors should be aware that this website includes images and names of deceased people that may cause sadness or distress to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Stretching the canvases
Many of the works on show in the Papunya Painting exhibition had been stored rolled. They were generally in good condition but needed minor cleaning and repairs. Here, National Museum conservators mount a canvas on a timber stretcher for display.
Image Gallery Page Navigation
Page 1 of 2
Inspecting the canvas
inspect the edge of Uta Uta Tjangala's Yumari. This 1976 canvas
is 1.7 metres by 3.4 metres. Photo: Andrew Sheargold.
Working the edges
Placing tape markers
on the painting as a marker to guide the stretching and stapling.
Photo: Andrew Sheargold.
Correcting the tension
Stapling
Sharon tensions the canvas by hand while securing the canvas to the timber stretcher with a staple gun. When complete, the canvas is flipped over and another row of staples is added to the back. The side staples are then removed. Photo: Andrew Sheargold.
Stretching by hand
Mark stretches the canvas by hand, feeling the tension and
making adjustments accordingly. Yumari, which is one of the
larger works on show in Papunya Painting, took Mark and
Sharon a day to stretch. Photo: Andrew Sheargold.
