National Museum of Australia features Aboriginal art

The world's largest collection of indigenous bark-art is now on show at Australia's National Museum in Canberra. Painted by 40 acclaimed Australian artists, the works were created using the traditional Aboriginal technique of applying pigments to the inside of native paperbark trees.

The exhibition "Old Masters: Australia's Great Bark Artists" draws on the museum's vast archives, and features more than 122 works painted between 1948 and 1988.

Bark paintings were traditionally produced for instructional and ceremonial purposes.

These days, bark paintings are highly sought after artefacts. The works tell stories and document the lives of the people who have called Australia home for thousands of years.

Long held beliefs and customs of the Aborigines are captured in many of the works on display.

Through shows like this, Aborigines hope to boost understanding with Australia's non-aboriginal community, and build bridges between ethnic groups.

The exhibition is open to the public until July 2014.