Kunwinjku art

Kunwinjku people are living in the Western part of Arnhem Land. There are very significant stylistic differences that distinguish the art of the Kunwinjku painters from other Arnhem Land artists. The imagery in paintings is presented without "filling in" the background. In other parts of Arnhem Land the entire surface of paintings is generally covered by images and cross-hatching. In more recent years the background of works on paper have been gouached, often in a decorative manner, but the actual imagery remains central. The Kunwinjku paintings are usually representational and with very little abstraction.

At present, many Kunwinjku choose to paint on paper on addition to bark. These artists recognise that works executed on archival paper are perceived by many collectors as more desirable: they are more enduring, and easier to store and to display than paintings on bark. As a support, paper also presents to the artists a liberating alternative to bark, whose availability is subject to seasonal variation.