NORTH WEST WIND (BARA), 1950S
32
Artist Unknown (Groote Eylandt)
NORTH WEST WIND (BARA), 1950S
natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
34.0 x 27.5 cm (irregular)
Estimate:
$1,600-1,800
Sold for $2,280 (inc. BP) in Auction 17 - 6 October 2010, Melbourne
Provenance
Painted on Groote Eylandt
Private collection, Melbourne
Catalogue text
When the north west winds begin to blow, the people of the north west wind totem gather at the northern end of Groote Eylandt. Here they bundled together a particular type of grass and shape it into a symbol of the wind (Bara), tying it with human hair string. The symbol was then pointed into the wind to encourage the wind to return again.