Datjirri 2 was winnaar van de prijs voor de Beste Jonge Kunstenaar 1995 op het Barunga festival. Hij is een jonge man die wordt voorbereid op een positie van ceremoniële autoriteit in zijn eigen Dhalwangu-clan. In het schilderij is de mengeling van zoet en zout water een metafoor voor de schepping van het leven. Waar het diamantvormige zoete water en het ovale zoute water zich mengen in het land van de Dhalwangu-clan, zien we dit patroon. De Totem-wezens Minhala (de langnek-schildpad) en Garkman (de kikker) laten zien dat dit het Dhalwangu-land in Gangan is.<BR> <BR> <BR> Barkpainting, Arnhem Land<BR> <BR> The first barkpaintings probably were made on the inside of rain shelters. Lengths of Eucalyptus bark were attached with smooth insides to simple frames of branches. People then would decorate the bark during periods of forced idleness. 19th century explorers reported that barkpaintings were an important factor in rituals and ceremonies. Today this is still the case in Arnhem Land. The choice and treatment of subjects was limited by cultural and religious traditions. Some of the paintings could only be exposed to initiated people. The wet season is the best time to harvest the bark because it is flexible then and easy to remove. With a sharp axe two rings are cut in the trunk. They are subsequently connected with a vertical cut. As the bark is flexible and damp it is easy to peel off. The loose bark on the outside is chopped away. Subsequently, the remaining bark is put on a steady burning fire face down. Because of the heat the bark flattens and the moisture evaporates. Weighed down with stones the bank is left for a few days. Later, to keep the bark from warping sometimes sticks are attached to the top and the bottom.<BR> Arnhem Land artists only rarely use other colours than the basic red, yellow, black and white. The red and yellow derive from the ochres are found in the orche pits. Black stems from charcoal. White is made from plaster or pipe clay. The materia is finely ground and mixed with water, added with a binder. The simple throw-away brushes are made of bark fibres, human hair, chewed twi9gs and thin shoots.<BR> Portrayed are subjects related to daily life. On the coast for example, the hunting of the turtle, dugong, crocodile and all kinds of fish are depicted. Inland, the hunting of kangaroos , fresh water crocodiles and birds. Other images have to do with personal totem stories and Dreamtime histories. Within Arnhem Land art there are distinct regional styles. The famous x-style is mostly found in the western part. Not only the outside of a human being, animal or spirit is painted, but also important organs and the spine. These paintings often have a plain background and one or two figures, one of them a Mimi spirit. The most important parts of the work are covered with cross lines. These patterns are individual, every artist having his own pattern. When we look at the choice of subject and technique, there is a strong resemblance to the old rockpaintings in this area.The art in the northern and eastern part of Arnhem Land is more colourful and intricate. Often, the whole bark is covered with figures and abstract geometric patterns. Frequently, there is a border around the painting and the work is divided into segments representing different stories. In central Arnhem Land there is more of an exchange between the different groups. Art here is open to change. The composition is more important than the intricate attention to details and thus aquires greater vitality. <BR>