The Arnott's Biscuits Collection of Aboriginal Bark Paintings

This collection of 285 bark paintings was donated to the MCA in June 1993 by Arnott's Biscuits Limited. Featuring work by artists from the late 1960s through to the early 1980s, it is one of the most significant and in-depth Aboriginal bark painting collections in the world.

Included are 41 works by Yirrwala, the largest representation of this world-renowned Aboriginal artist. Picasso once stated of Yirrwala's work 'That is what I have been trying to achieve all my life'. The Collection records over 40,000 years of Aboriginal culture, with similar designs to those found on ancient rock paintings.

The Collection represents artists from Central Arnhem Land, Groote Eyelandt and Calendon Bay, Yirrkala, Arnhem Bay, Elcho Island, The English Company Islands, Liverpool River, Milingimby, Cylde River, Maningrida, East Alligator River, Oenpenii, Cadell River, Croker Island, Melville, Bathurst Islands and Port Keats.

Artists represented in the Collection include: Malwalin, Madaman, Marike, Nabarrayal, Midinari, Mijau-Mijau, Birrakitji, Balir Balir, Dawidi, Djawa, Ngulienguilde, Mangewari, Mandarg, Barrdjaray, and Jimmy Nganjmira, England Bungala, Naritjan, Nanyin, Yunggarriny and Malangi.

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