Lot 127

Acquired in Brisbane 1961
Private collection, UK
Private collection, Sweden

In the early 1960s there was a little known movement in the Cape York missions of Queensland to forge a cottage industry by producing barks and traditional crafts for tourists.

This bark probably comes from Caboolture or Hopevale where artists were encouraged to copy the numerous and distinct regional styles of Arnhem Land bark paintings and mix up the motifs which led to curious, hybrid works.

The star motif in the painting is drawn from the story of Banumbirr, the Morning star story representing the cycle of life from Elcho Island's Yolngu people. The interlocking red lines around the star could be a variation of the rarrk design found in central Arnhem Land art. As for the tree, it strikes an unusual and interesting chord which is not so typical of Arnhem Land styles.