Painting Item Number: 3527/14 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Rectangular piece of barkcloth with various abstract designs painted across surface; done in black. Top half of painting consists of intersecting lines of varying widths; "X" shape in bottom left corner. Bottom half covered in irregular shapes, triangles, and diamonds; cross-hatching in negative space between shapes. "X"'s, stars, and straight lines framed by hooked ones inside majority of shapes. Bottom left section made up of intersecting lines. Back of barkcloth is undecorated.
The barkcloth is made by men, beating a layer of tree bark until it is thin and pliable. Women paint the designs, which are often symbolic of their forested surroundings, using a mixture of charcoal and natural plant dyes.