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International exhibition

Old Masters: Australia’s Great Bark Artists showcased the work of Australia’s great bark painters: Aboriginal artists from Arnhem Land who carried one of the oldest continuing traditions of art into the modern era.

The original Old Masters exhibition debuted at the National Museum in 2013. This international touring version of the exhibition was on show at:

  • National Taiwan Museum, 4 October 2019 to 9 February 2020
  • Sichuan Museum, 26 June to 25 August 2019
  • Shenzhen Museum, 13 April to 26 May 2019
  • Shanghai Natural History Museum, 15 November 2018 to 6 January 2019
  • National Museum of China, Beijing, 4 July to 2 September 2018

Artworks

The exhibition included artworks, plus carvings that share designs often used in bark paintings. It celebrated the knowledge, genius and work of over 40 master artists, including Narritjin Maymuru, Yirawala, Mawalan Marika, and their contemporaries.

Read the media release

Slideshow

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark and on wooden restrainers. It features a kangaroo and Mimi figure. The kangaroo is painted with red, white and green hatching. The figure is painted in red and white. The painting has a red background. - click to view larger image A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts a coiled crocodile with its head in the centre of the painting. The crocodile is painted with crosshatched infill. The painting has an ochre yellow background. - click to view larger image A bark painting worked with ochres on bark.The painting is divided into two sections. The upper half has broad stripes in red, yellow, black and white. The lower section depicts falling or dancing figures on a crosshatched background. - click to view larger image A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts three main rows of animals. At the top there is a row of turtles with fish painted between them. Below this there is a row of four stingrays. Below this again there is a crocodile and a goanna and at the foot of the painting a bird and a crab among plants.The painting has a background of fine white crosshatching on red. - click to view larger image A bark painting worked with ochres on bark and on one wooden restrainer. It depicts water birds, snakes and turtles separated by a horizontal crosshatched band in the upper centre. The painting has a background of white dots on either black or red. - click to view larger image A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts a file snake on the left with a water goanna superimposed on a kangaroo in the centre. There is a tree on the right. The painting has a red background. - click to view larger image

Mimih Hunting, about 1980, Dick Nguleingulei Murrumurru, Bularlhdja clan, Dangbon and Kunwinjku languages, about 1920–1988, 106 x 58.5 cm, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Art collection, collected by Gunbalanya (Oenpelli). National Museum of Australia

Totemic Crocodile, 1965, Yirawala, Born clan, Kuninjku language, about 1897–1976, 80.2 x 64 cm, Aboriginal Arts Board collection no. 2, collected at Minjilang (Croker Island). National Museum of Australia

Rirratjiŋu Mortuary Ceremony, 1967, by Mathaman Marika, Rirratjiŋu clan, 1920–1970, 89.6 x 46 cm, collected by Helen Groger-Wurm at Yirrkala. National Museum of Australia

Fight between Crocodile-Man and Stingray-Man, 1963, Narritjin Maymuru, Maŋgalili clan, about 1914–1982, 94 x 62.5 cm, collected by Karel Kupka at Yirrkala. National Museum of Australia

Creatures of the Arafura Swamp, about 1984, John Bulunbulun, Gurrumba Gurrumba clan, Ganalbiŋu language, 1946–2010, 125 x 91 cm, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Art collection. National Museum of Australia

Totems of the Manharrŋu, Mortuary Rites, 1966, David Malangi, Manharrŋu clan, Manyarrŋu language, 1927–1999, 76 x 54 cm, collected by JA Davidson at Milingimbi. National Museum of Australia

More Old Masters

View more
The artists
Videos
Western Arnhem Land
Eastern Arnhem Land
Central Arnhem Land

Acknowledgements

An international touring exhibition produced by the National Museum of Australia.

Old Masters: Australia's Great Bark Artists is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia–China Council of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

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