LIPUNDJA

Both items created on Milingimbi, Central Arnhem Land
Private collection

The bark painting is housed behind perspex and it is only possible to make a visual inspection of the front of the bark. There are two cracks extending into the bark at the bottom, one approximately 10 cm, the other 5 cm long and another significant hairline crack extending 30 cm, also from the top left hand corner.There has been some minor pigment loss throughout the painting and the remaining pigment appears to be in relatively stable condition overall.
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Cf. For a related and similar painting by the artist see Djalambu, 1964, in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria and illustrated in Ryan, J., Spirit in Land: Bark paintings from Arnhem Land in the National Gallery of Victoria, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1990, p.62, pl.27

The painting features Burala, diver duck totems, that relate to mortuary ceremonies. Diver ducks feed on small fish in billabongs and fresh waterholes, a metaphor for the soul of an individual being plucked from the pool of life. The totems feature a herringbone design representing the skeleton of catfish which, when young, have transparent bodies through which the skeleton is visible: thus the design incorporates notions of birth, new life, and a symbol of death

Cf. For a ritual object carrying the same design see Allen, L. A., Aboriginal Art: Arnhem Land, Field Museum, Chicago, 1972, p.28, pl.59, illus.