ROBERT TOMMY PAU | 'Kolsad Solh' | 2021 | Painting

ROBERT TOMMY PAU, 'Kolsad Solh', 2021, Acrylic on canvas, 61 x 76.2 cm 

"The Western island name for the island dress means blooming flowers. In the Eastern TS it is called, Au Gem Wali (Big Body Clothes)"

Courtesy of the artist.

Tommy is a descendant of the Eastern Torres Strait Islands, Australian Aboriginal, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Islander and Asia. He speaks Torres Strait Creole and Australian English. He was taught about the need to keep culture strong through cultural practice by his father. He has a strong commitment to keeping old traditions alive and believes that culture must remain true to the past and move with time to exist in the future. Tommy has considerable experience in the arts and his art forms of choice include printmaking, painting and sculpture.