Painting Item Number: 3527/10 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 irregularly-shaped circles connected by lines; circles are decorated with cross-hatching. Additional circles and diagonal lines, forming triangles, throughout design. Bottom half of painting consists of four squares with different overlapping geometric and linear motifs inside each one; shapes include diamonds, rhombuses, triangles, zigzags, and plain 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.