Lot 25

Painted at Milingimbi, Arnhem Land
The Collection of Dorothy Bennett, Darwin
Private collection, United States of America
Private collection, Melbourne
Sotheby's, Important Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, 7 June 2011, lot 124
The Collection of John Graham, Melbourne

The Arnhem Land region of the Northern Territory extends roughly fromthe eastern half of the peninsula that forms the most north-eastern portion ofthe territory's footprint. Of the portable arts, the Arnhem Land region is widelyrenowned for their bark paintings, sculpture and weaving. As the market forbark paintings in particular emerged in the early 20th century, the iconographyevolved, depicting animals and spirit beings, resembling paintings found inancient rock shelters in the vicinity. While variations in the artform are evidentacross the region, the west tend towards the figurative and moving east,geometric design becomes more apparent. Within the Collection of John Graham are several important examplesof bark paintings spanning across the whole Arnhem Land region, appearing inthis auction from lots 25 to 44. Melbourne-based collector and artist John Grahamfirst showed interest in works from this region when as a young artist in DavidLarwill's Prahran studio in the 1980s, he discovered a large two-volumecatalogue ‘Primitivism in 20th Century Art'. It wasn't until this moment that alifelong passion blossomed.  As an artist, collector and explorer Graham traversed theglobe with a lifelong pursuit of ‘art holidays' - journeys to the countriesfamous for the ‘Art Premier' (or tribal art), to both explore and study thesecultures and to further develop his own art practice. Graham has travelled to,and collected from, West Africa, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Borneo,India and well as within Australia. Graham collected his first Australian Aboriginal barkpainting in 1990 from Emerald Hill Gallery in South Melbourne, by Lily KaradadaWandjina (lot 41). Graham's eye was drawn to figurative works, paintedonto undulating bark surfaces with natural ochres. He subsequently unearthed aconsiderable collection of works from the desirable 1960s and 70s period - whensuch works were sold by the church missionary societies, such as Oenpelli.Seeing himself as a caretaker of these works, Graham remains a collector and ishappy to offer this selection of works to others who also share his love ofAboriginal bark paintings.   

This painting represents Yulungurr- the great python and his sacred pool at Mirrimina (indicated by the fan palms and surrounding pebbles). Yulungurr is one of the principle characters in the Liyagal-Awumirr Wawilak cycle.