Ömie barkcloth: Pathways of nioge
These vibrant and stylistically distinct works resonate with the cultural jagor'e (law), environmental knowledge, and creativity of their makers.
This is the first showcase of an extensive holding of Ömie nioge in the Macleay Collections, including some of the earliest commercially collected works.
The pathways in the title references the Ömie word, or'eseegé, that describes the painted black lines that frame and compose the designs. These iconographic pathways theme an immersive exhibition introducing the historic and contemporary contexts of nioge creation.
The making of "Ömie barkcloth: Pathways of nioge"
Hear from curator Rebecca Conway, author and project collaborator, Drusilla Modjeska, and exhibition designer Belqis Youssofzay.
Header image: (Detail) Averose Simiri, nuni'e (‘eye’ design), 2004, natural pigments on barkcloth, donated by T Barlin through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program 2018, Macleay Collections, ET2018.96