Dennis Nona

Country/Region: Torres Strait (view other artists)

Tribe: Badu Island

Dennis Nona is widely acknowledged as one the most important Torres Strait Islander artists.

Born in 1973 on Badu Island in the Torres Strait Dennis Nona was taught the traditional craft of wood carving. This, along with his cultural heritage learnt through story telling and ceremonies helped him develop his linocut skills which feature an intricate decorative style based on the rich narrative legends of the Torres Strait Islander people. The symbols he uses of sea creatures, masks and designs were influenced by coastal Papuan art used on trading items such as drums with traditional designs carved on them.

Dennis feels strongly about retaining his culture through his art. He holds an Associate Diploma of Art from Cairns TAFE and a Diploma of Visual Arts in Printmaking from the Institute of Arts, Australian National University, Canberra.

Subjects and Themes

Melanesian influence. Denis�s linocuts derive from his wood-carving experiences on Badu Island. He is inspired by coastal life and family traditions.

Collections

Flinders University Art Museum, Adelaide. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Griffith University Art Collection, QLD
OTC Collection
South Australian Art Gallery, Adelaide
Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat, VIC
Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Surfers Paradise, QLD
Griffith University Art Collection, QLD
Noosa Regional Gallery, Noosa Heads, QLD
Parliament House, Canberra ACT
Perc Tucker Gallery, Townsville
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
Queensland Museum, Brisbane
Queensland University of Technology Art Collection, Brisbane
Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute
University of Wollongong Art Collection, Wollongong
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK

EXHIBITIONS

Group Exhibitions

1991 The Eighth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin

1991 Group Show, Hogarth Galleries,Sydney

1991 Cairns Art Society Exhibition, Cairns Regional Art Gallery, Cairns, QLD

1992 One People One Soul, Palm Court Gallery, Cairns, QLD

1992 Colours of Black, Queensland Aboriginal Creations, Brisbane

1992 Group Exhibition, Gallery of Australian Landscape, Brisbane

1992 Cross Currents, Cooee Aboriginal Art Gallery, Sydney

1992 The Ninth Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin

1992/1993 New Tracks Old Land: An Exhibition of Contemporary Prints from Aboriginal Australia, touring USA and Australia

1993 Aboriginal Printmakers, Northern Territory University Art Gallery, Darwin

1993 Mixed Exhibition, Cooee Aboriginal Art Gallery, Sydney

1993 Contemporary Prints from Aboriginal Australia, Augen Gallery, Portland, Oregon, USA

1993 Cairns TAFE Students, Studio One, Canberra

1993 Australian Aboriginal Printmakers, Davidson Galleries, Seattle, Washington, USA

1994 Gold Coast Art Award, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Surfers Paradise, QLD

1994 International Print Exhibition, Machida, Tokyo, Japan

1994 Aboriginal Exhibition, South Australian Art Gallery, Adelaide

1994 Malu Ural, National Maritime Museum, Sydney

1994 Aboriginal Art Award, Heritage Commission, Canberra

1995 Same but Different, Aboriginal and Islander Students at the Australian National University, School of Arts Gallery, Canberra

1995 Mixed Exhibition, Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane

2001 Gelam Ngzu Kazi - Dugong My Son, Australian Museum, Sydney

2001 Gelam Ngzu Kazi - Dugong My Son, Alcheringa Gallery, Victoria, BC, Canada

2002 Paipa - �Windward�, National Museum of Australia, Canberra

2003 Beneath the Monsoon - Visions North of Capricorn, Artspace Mackay, Mackay; Cairns Regional Gallery, Cairns; Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville

2003 Dream Traces, Brighton University, Brighton, UK

2003 Tjibaou Cultural Centre, Noumea, New Caledonia

2003 Bovicai Collaborative Exhibition, Qld.

2003 Coochimadlo Island Market Exhibition, Qld

2003 Indigenous Outback Exhibition, NAIDOC Day, Brisbane

2003 Michael Fox Gallery, Brisbane

2003 Pandanus Art Collabrative Exhibition, Currumbin Beach,

2003 19th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Darwin

2003 Shell Fremantle Art Award, Fremantle

2003 Christchurch Art Gallery/Te Puna, Waiwhetu, Christchurch/Aotearoa, NZ

2004 Christchurch Art Gallery/Te Puna, Waiwhetu, Christchurch/Aotearoa, NZ

2004 Fragments, Little Stanley Street Gallery, Brisbane

2004 21st Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award

2004 Angel Orensanz International Art Award, New York, USA (Winner)

2004 Robin O�Chin Memorial Art Award, Brisbane

2004 Shell Fremantle Art Award, Fremantle

2004 Artscape Group Exhibition, Brisbane

2005 22nd Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award

2005 Shell Fremantle Print Award 1975-2005

2005 Busan International Print Art Festival, Busan, Korea

2005 ARC Art, Design & Craft Biennial, Brisbane

2006 bangu yibara: works from the MCA Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney

2005 Sesserae; The Art of Dennis Nona, Dell Gallery at Queensland College of Art, Brisbane 2005 Sesserae and Other Stories, Kickarts, Cairns 2005 Sesserae; New Prints by Dennis Nona, Darwin Entertainment Centre Gallery, Darwin

2006 Sesserae; New Works by Dennis Nona, Cooee Aboriginal Art, Sydney
2006 Sesserae; New Works by Dennis Nona, Australian Embassy, Paris
2006 Sesserae; New Works by Dennis Nona, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London
2006 Australie: le jeune homme et la mer, l'oeuvre grave de Dennis Nona (Iles du detroit de Torres, Queensland), Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob / Ambassade d'Australie, Paris
2006 - 2007 Sesserae; The Works of Dennis Nona Regional Tour. Rockhampton Regional Gallery, Qld. Port Macquarie Regional Art Gallery, NSW. Gab Titui Cultural Centre, Thursday Island, Qld. Cairns Regional Gallery, Qld. Cooloola Shire Gallery, Qld. New Land Regional Gallery, Adelaide SA. Logan City Art Gallery, Qld. Caloundra City Gallery, Qld
2006 Sesserae; New Works by Dennis Nona, Darwin Entertainment Centre Gallery
2006 Sesserae: New Works by Dennis Nona, Framed Gallery, Darwin
2006 Sesserae; New Works by Dennis Nona Suzanne O'Connell Gallery, Brisbane
2007 Sesserae; New Works by Dennis Nona, Impressions on Paper Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2007 Sesserae; New Works by Dennis Nona, Big Star Art Gallery, Adelaide, SA
2007 Sesserae; New Works by Dennis Nona, Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne
2007 Sesserae; New Works by Dennis Nona, Art Mob, Hobart
2009 Muluka Pyban (Passing Down), Andrew Baker Gallery, Brisbane
2009 Muluka Pyban (Passing Down), Helen Maxwell Gallery, Canberra
2009 Muluka Pyban (Passing Down), Art Mob, Hobart
2009 Muluka Pyban (Passing Down), United Galleries, Sydney
2010 Muluka Pyban (Passing Down), United Galleries, Perth

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