The Mimih Spirits belong to the Aboriginal mythology of Arnhem Land (northern coast of Australia) and are said to live in the caves and crevices of the rocks in this coastal region.

Tradition depicts them as slender, elongated beings, so fragile that the slightest gust of wind could break them. By carving them from delicate tree branches, the creators of these works have successfully captured this distinctive aspect of their “models.”

Using natural pigments, they have also decorated their bodies and faces in the style of the ritual paintings worn by Aboriginal people when honouring these deities, to whom they attribute the gift of healing, music, and dance, as well as the invention of painting.