Thommo has used ochre to paint kunj, or kangaroo, on bark. This method of painting has been practised by Kunwinjku artists for thousands of years. The cross-hatching technique Thommo has used for the in-fill is called rarrk and is taken from ceremonial body painting designs. The fine lines have been painted using manyilk, a brush made from native sedge grass that has been shaved down until only a few fibres remain.

Kangaroo is an important source of food for us Aboriginal people. We go out into the bush and we hunt kangaroos in the savanna woodland. And we climb into the stone country to hunt the kangaroos that live there.

Kunwinjku art is part of the oldest continuous art tradition in the world. Ancestors of today’s artists have been painting the rock walls of West Arnhem Land for tens of thousands of years. The traditional palette of white, red, yellow and black comes from the ochre that naturally occurs in the region, although contemporary artists sometimes choose to paint in acrylics as well. Kunwinjku artists famously paint using either the traditional rarrk hatching technique, or the more contemporary and complex cross hatching technique which has been adapted from ceremonial painting. These lines are painted using a manyilk, which is a piece of sedge grass shaved down until only a few fibres remain.

A note on bark paintings:

Paintings on bark have a beautifully organic, almost sculptural appeal. Kunwinjku artists have been painting in this medium for thousands of years as a method of continuing their rock art tradition onto the walls of wet season bark shelters and now as collectible pieces of art. Bark paintings from Gunbalanya/Oenpelli and surrounding areas have been collected and exhibited by museums and art galleries all over the world.
This bark has been expertly cured over open fire and left under weights to dry. It is natural for bark to have a small amount of movement depending on weather conditions and this is part of the charm and appeal of this medium. The bracing frame included with each bark allows for this movement.

To look after your bark painting we suggest keeping it in away from sudden fluctuations in temperature or humidity (i.e. next to heaters or air conditioners) and displaying it in a well ventilated area away from direct sunlight.

This painting needs to be framed. It’s also being sent direct from the artist at a remote art centre, Injalak Arts, in the top end. Please note there is only one mail plane a week that takes the artwork to Gunbalanya. The tracking information is then received a week later when the mail plane returns so often the paintings are delivered before we receive the tracking information. Please expect a slightly longer wait for this very special artwork to arrive.