ROBERT TOMMY PAU | 'Harbour of Dreams' | 2021 | Linocut print

ROBERT TOMMY PAU, 'Harbour of Dreams', 2021, linocut on somerset velvet white 300gsm 100% cotton, 40 x 80.7 cm 

"This prints depicts Thursday Island Harbour in its heyday. It encapsulates the dreams of so many nations including Torres Strait Islanders (TSI) inclusion in staking a claim in the Queensland and Australian new settlement and economy. The West Australian reported in November 1938, on page 5, that the “Diver of the Torres Strait” as the “Wealthiest in the Pacific”."

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.