Artist Showcase | Brian Robinson

Clan groups: Maluyligal and Wuthathi (Torres Strait), Dayak (Malaysia)
Language group: Kal Lagaw Ya

Brian Robinson was born in 1973 in Waiben (Thursday Island), in the Torres Strait. He lives and works in Cairns, Queensland.

Brian is an established artist who is nationally and internationally recognised for his printmaking and public sculptures which draw on mythology and popular culture across different cultures. In his works, objects and themes from Torres Strait Islander myths are juxtaposed against well-known mainstream narratives and legends such as Noah’s Ark and the great floods, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and Adam and Eve.

Brian has exhibited extensively in Australia and overseas since the mid-1990s. His work is represented in many national and international public and private collections, and he has undertaken numerous national and international residencies and public art commissions.

He is represented by Onespace Gallery, Brisbane.

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First Nations Research Archive

Solo Exhibition | Highlighted Works

Brian Robinson: Pacific crosscurrents
9 Jul – 7 Sep 2016

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Brian Robinson, A curious bunch of bits and bobs - Oceanic artefacts at the Australian Museum, 2016, etching on paper, Purchased by Cairns Regional Gallery, 2016

Brian Robinson, Usal - the seven sisters that play amongst the stars, 2016, linocut printed on paper and mounted to board, pine dowel, rattan, shells, raffia, twine, feathers, plastic beads, plastic skull, Purchased Cairns Regional Gallery with funds from Rosemary Goodsall through the Cairns Regional Gallery Foundation, 2016

Group Exhibitions | Highlighted Works

ARTNOW FNQ 2022
17 Dec 2022 – 12 Feb 2023

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Brian Robinson and Tamika Grant-Iramu, Carving Country 2019-21, vinyl-cut on Arches BFK Rives 300gsm and Hahnemühle Hellweiss 350 alpha-cotton gsm paper mounted on aluminium, installation comprising of 37 pieces - approx. 280 x 670cm, Courtesy of the artists, Onespace Gallery and Mossenson Galleries

FACELESS Transforming Identity: Blak/Black Artists from North Australia, Africa and the African Diaspora
25 Jun – 2 Oct 2022

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Brian Robinson, Ancestral lineage: The power to morph into animals 2022, palight plastic, enamel spray paint, raffia, cowrie shells, cassowary feathers, toys, shark tooth, beads, Courtesy of the artist, Mossenson Galleries and OneSpace Gallery

Ritual: the past in the present
15 May – 21 Aug 2021

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Brian Robinson, Maluyligal/Wuthathi/ Dayak, The ritual of the harvest season (Torres Strait) from Arcãnus curio 2020, coloured pencil on paper, courtesy of the artist

Brian Robinson, Maluyligal/Wuthathi/ Dayak, The charm of the biro-biro (Torres Strait) from Arcãnus curio 2020, coloured pencil on paper, courtesy of the artist

Brian Robinson, Maluyligal/Wuthathi/ Dayak, Pounding the produce (Upper Sepik) from Arcãnus curio 2020, coloured pencil on paper, courtesy of the artist

Reimagining: Between Tradition and Innovation
17 Oct 2020 – 10 Jan 2021

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Brian Robinson, Land Sea Sky - charting our place in the universe, 2006, linocut, ed. 1/10, linocut mounted on hardboard, Purchased Cairns Regional Gallery with funds from Leigh Heidenreich and Peters Bosel Lawyers through the Cairns Regional Gallery Foundation, 2016 Brian Robinson, A curious bunch of bits and bobs - Oceanic artefacts at the Australian Museum, 2016, etching on paper, Purchased by Cairns Regional Gallery, 2016 Brian Robinson, Usal - the seven sisters that play amongst the stars, 2016, linocut printed on paper and mounted to board, pine dowel, rattan, shells, raffia, twine, feathers, plastic beads, plastic skull, Purchased Cairns Regional Gallery with funds from Rosemary Goodsall through the Cairns Regional Gallery Foundation, 2016

ARTNOW FNQ 2015
27 Nov 2015 – 7 Feb 2016

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Brian Robinson, Scylla Serrata aka Githalai, 2015, pvc plastic, enamel spray paint, feathers, raffia, shells, courtesy of the artist

Out of Queensland:
New Indigenous Textiles
17 Jul – 13 Sep 2015

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Brian Robinson, ... the blooms continue to flourish, 2015, custom-printed linen, Commissioned by Cairns Regional Gallery, 2015

Malu Minar: Art of the Torres Strait
2 Apr – 22 May 2011

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Brian Robinson, Tagai - Guardian of the heavens, 2007, linocut, Gift of Robina Cosser, 2007

Ilan Pasin: This is our way
6 Nov 1998 – 31 Jan 1999

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Brian Robinson, Ilan Coke, 1995, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center

Brian Robinson, Woven fish, 1997, linocut, Collection of the artist

Brian Robinson, As the Sea Gods Awaken, 1998, plywood, wood, woven mat, dowel, acrylic paint & permanent marker, Cairns Art Gallery Collection

Collection Works

Brian Robinson, ... the blooms continue to flourish, 2015, custom-printed linen, 48.9 x 13.9 cm, Purchased Cairns Regional Gallery, 2015 Commissioned Cairns Regional Gallery

Brian Robinson, Pada Kuyk: Power beyond the grave, 2019, Palight plastic, enamel spray paint, polyvinyl chloride, 85.0 x 85.0 x 85.0 cm, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery with funds from the Cairns Art Gallery Foundation, 2020

Brian Robinson, The sea gods have awoken, 1998, plywood, woven mat, dowel, felt tip pen, synthetic polymer paint on wood, 100.0 x 200.0 x 21.0 cm, Purchased Cairns Regional Gallery with funds from CRG VIP's Inc., 1999

Brian Robinson, Tagai - Guardian of the heavens, 2007, linocut on paper, edition 5/50, Gift of Robina Cosser, 2007

Brian Robinson, A curious bunch of bits and bobs - Oceanic artefacts at the Australian Museum, 2016, etching on paper, edition 2/10, 49.2 x 98.7 cm (unframed), Purchased Cairns Regional Gallery, 2016

Brian Robinson, Land Sea Sky - charting our place in the universe, 2006, linocut mounted on hardboard, 99.2 x 193.7 x 10.0 cm, Purchased Cairns Regional Gallery with funds from Leigh Heidenreich and Peters Bosel Lawyers through the Cairns Regional Gallery Foundation, 2016

Brian Robinson, Usal - the seven sisters that play amongst the stars, 2016, linocut printed on paper and mounted to board, pine dowel, rattan, shells, raffia, twine, feathers, plastic beads, plastic skull, 100.0 X 230.0 X 10.0 cm, Purchased Cairns Regional Gallery with funds from Rosemary Goodsall through the Cairns Regional Gallery Foundation, 2016