Ochre painting has a long history within Australian Indigenous art. The original purpose of this type of painting was for telling Dreamtime Stories and creating maps. Dreamtime Stories, in simple terms for this tradition is unique for each different peoples, is when the people would retell their creation and spiritual beliefs. Ochre painting used common, natural pigments found within the Australian soil and sometimes charcoal, which limited the color palette down to about 6 pigments. They communicated messages that could be passed between tribes, including instructions and warnings, making them highly valuable for the information they held. While Untitled (Shark and Pup with Other Fish) is ochre on Eucalyptus, this style of painting could be done on rocks, objects, and even bodies, which was most common in ceremonies.

To read more about the history, go to Japingka: Aboriginal Art