Painting Item Number: 3527/6 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Rectangular piece of barkcloth with abstract linear designs painted across surface; done in black. Top half of painting is covered in wide bands with designs of intersecting lines; top band pattern is only horizontal lines. Bottom half of painting is divided into three vertical sections; each section divided by three plain lines. Left and right sides have grid-like designs; middle section is filled with intersecting lines of different widths. 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.