Bark Painting Item Number: 3532/9 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Painting on a rectangular piece of slightly warped bark; likely depicts the entity Wintjili. The background consists of black and brown-red stripes, of varying widths; blocks of dark yellow throughout stripe pattern. Outer edge of painting is trimmed with white bands filled with black diagonal lines, dark red vertical lines, and black and dark red dots. Figure spans entire bark piece, arms are held up and knees are bent; hands and feet are beige, face is decorated with black and maroon bands, made up of cross-hatching. Head is oval-shaped; white circular eyes frame a large, beige triangular nose, maroon dots across nose. Figure is wearing a full-body suit with an alternating stripe and chevron pattern, done in maroon and dark yellow; patterns are made up of cross-hatching. Dark yellow band runs down centre of suit, alternating sections of black and white dots throughout. Edges of suit are trimmed with white and maroon dots. Semi-circular shapes protrude from either side of chest, underneath bent arms; done in orange and decorated with white striped bands. Additional white bands decorate background, filled with black and maroon dots. Back of painting is undecorated; inscriptions written across surface. (Hanging hardware attached along top centre edge.)