Brian Robinson: Tithuyil (Moving with the Rhythm of the Stars)

February 11, 2020 - August 9, 2020

Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection

Exhibition

On February 11, Kluge-Ruhe opened the exhibition, Brian Robinson: Tithuyil (Moving with the Rhythm of the Stars), a selection of prints and sculptural works from the last several years. The graphic style in his practice combines his Torres Strait Islander heritage with a strong passion for experimentation, both in theoretical approach and medium, as well as crossing the boundaries between reality and fantasy. The results combine styles as diverse as graffiti art through to intricate relief carvings and construction sculpture echoing images of Torres Strait cultural motifs, objects and activity. To learn more about his work, watch this video produced by the National Gallery of Australia.

Brian Robinson visited the Kluge-Ruhe Collection as a resident artist from February 8 – March 8, 2020. He gave four public talks about his work, and discussed his art practice with UVA students in the printmaking, sculpture, art history, anthropology, religious studies and environmental sciences departments of UVA. He experimented with 3D printing, worked on two large new linoleum blocks, and toured one of the largest toy collections in the state.

I have always been very interested in my own cultural mythology that originates from the Torres Strait. Mythological tales exploring the origin of landforms and other natural phenomena and magic are spread throughout the culture. Once I started exploring this, as well as Greek mythology, I started to tease out similarities and have created works that speak about the combination and culmination of this research… As a visual artist I see everything as some type of artform. I often have vivid dreams, which I sketch from. I also have ‘Walter Mitty’ moments where I find myself gazing off into space with my mind wandering in and out of fantasy and reality, building spaces that I create work within.

– BRIAN ROBINSON

About

Brian Robinson was born in 1973 on Waiben (Thursday Island) and is of the Maluyligal and Wuthathi language groups of the Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula, and is a descendant of the Dayak people of Malaysia. He grew up in the idyllic tropical surroundings of the Torres Strait Islands, located between the tip of Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea. During this time he gained valuable knowledge and appreciation of the culture of his people and was particularly influenced by the myths and legends of the Torres Strait, and the traditional motifs and natural carving ability of the Islanders. Now Cairns-based, Robinson is known for his printmaking, sculpture and public art in which he uses a variety of techniques.

In 2004, Robinson completed internships with both the National Museum of Australia and the National Gallery of Australia and has since collaborated on an exhibition with the Museum developed specifically for their Gallery for First Australians. Until August 2010 he was Exhibitions Manager and Deputy Director of Cairns Regional Gallery and, despite the demands of these positions, he continued to develop a strong arts practice. Robinson left the Gallery to concentrate on his art practice full-time, commencing with a 12-month Artist Residency at Djumbunji Press KickArts Fine Art Printmaking Studio, Cairns. He is an award-winning artist and his work is held in all of the major public collections in Australia, including the National Gallery of Australia.