Australian Aboriginal painting in natural ochre, charcoal and kaolin with natural binder on Eucalyptus bark. This painting, “Turtle Dreaming”, portrays a totemic long-neck turtle accompanied by clan-specific "rarrk" patterns.

Acquired in 1990 from Aboriginal Arts Australia Limited in Darwin, NT.

Attributed to George Liwukana and Steven Wurraki from Elcho Island.

Bark paintings are a venerated tradition among all Aborigines of the Far north in the Northern Territory. Elcho Island is a major island in the Arafura Sea, not far from the northeast coast of Arnhemland.

Many different indigenous clan ethnicities reside there, some of whom migrated from Tiwi homelands to escape the violence of WWII bombings of population centers and military installations.

Tiwis have a distinctly different culture and different art traditions, as reflected in this work. Eucalyptus bark is the medium because of the remoteness of the islands and the shortage of other materials to paint on. Most barks are secured from warping by attached branches from the underbrush.
23" x 21" #AGCY76