RARRK ON MASONITE

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There is a bit of a story about this Rarrk painting. It involves my finding it in a skip. It had been part of a throw out after an amalgamation of two departments. I thought that I would return it to the new head of the department involved. I informed her that it should be retained. The next day I found it again in the skip. So I took it home. It was not in the best of condition but I felt that it needed to be protected from its fate in land-fill.

It is painted on a piece of masonite and I've included a shot of the back to indicate how the indigenous peoples used re-cycled white-man's refuse: “detritus of the white community - floor tiles, masonite and fruit boxes”.

It is probably from Arnhem Land the Northern Territory of Australia perhaps by one of the Papunya painters. Perhaps from the 1970's. It is painted in ochres not with modern pigments.

"These paintings are paintings usually done on bark or other modern art materials.

It is a style of line painting done originally with grass but now is done with brushes.

It is also called crosshatching because the technique requires the application of many parallel lines. The more advanced technique looks as if the applications of lines have been woven into the painting.

Originally the artists only used Ochre for the paint material and some artist still do however for painting on canvas acrylic paints are being used so these paintings should last a very long time if cared for. Ochre for the paint material and some artists still do however for painting on canvas acrylic paints are being used so these paintings should last a very long time if cared for.

Another style which is utilized with this is called the X-Ray style which often is a part of the painting which shows part of the internal organs of the items being painted. This style is also done only in this region of Australia. It may show some of the organs of spirits, animals, birds, fish or crocodiles.

This style of painting is one of the oldest of the painting styles of the Aboriginal people."
http://www.personally-selected-aboriginal-art.com/rarrk.html