Exhibitions

Biography

I am a pakana (Aboriginal man) from lutruwita (Tasmania), creating under my spirit guide name, kurina. A defining feature of my work is the intricate nature in which I do my fine dot work within my paintings, and the delicate pieces I create from fine metals like sterling silver, gold and copper. Every piece I create comes from my personal and spiritual past, as well as from my Country and culture.

In 2017, I graduated from Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art, with a Bachelor of Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art with Honours (specialising in Jewellery and Small Objects), and I am currently undertaking a Doctor of Visual Arts.

My fear is that as our world succumbs to the realities of climate change and resource scarcity, elements of my pakana culture will be lost. In my contemporary jewellery (wearable art) and art practice, I am looking at ways to preserve elements of my palawa culture. I utilise contemporary methods combined with current technologies to create artworks that tell stories or point to some aspect of our ancient ways. Pretty much all of my works contain some element of my culture.

Artist statement

Item 272969, 2022

Item 272969 is my interpretation of the necklace held in the Field Museum, Chicago.

An item taken without permission, stolen, and not returned!

After attempting to re-create Item 272969 in various mediums I settled on the current materials.

This is not a replacement for the necklace made by pakana ngini, it is a ‘placeholder’ – saving a spot for when the original is returned.

The ochre is from wukaluwikiwyna (Maria Island), collected by Zoe Rimmer and prepared by Alana Gall.

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