The fantastic myths and legends of the Torres Strait came to life in the works of the artists in ‘Ailan Currents’—Joey Laifoo, Billy Missi, Dennis Nona, Brian Robinson, Joel Sam, Leroy Alua Savage and Alick Tipoti. Masked spirit figures, haemorrhaging dugongs, super warriors, warplanes and men leaping out of dogs filled KickArts’ space with fascinating boys’ own adventures—Torres Strait Island style. Traditional stories, intricately carved into oversized linocuts, form the unequivocally distinct style of contemporary Torres Strait Island printmaking.
The exhibition ‘Ailan Currents’ operated with commercial aims both for the artists and the presenting venue, KickArts, which is showcasing its capacity as it moves to develop a centre for print excellence. The exhibition catalogue demonstrates joint promotional ambitions by publishing the resumes of participating artists and master printmaker Theo Tremblay, as well as that of Rae O’Connell, the KickArts’ Director. O’Connell has been at the helm for several years and her expertise and background as a printmaker has no doubt helped to articulate KickArts’ new direction.
O’Connell’s catalogue introduction positions this group of artists as the Zenadh-Kes Printmaking Movement. In Kala Lagaw Ya, a traditional Torres Strait language, Zenadh-Kes is the name for the islands of that region. As a branding exercise, Zenadh-Kes Printmaking Movement has parallels with the development and marketing of the ‘Art Gang’ of the Lockhart River area. Signs of an emerging market claim are evident, with the support of regular funding giants Arts Queensland, Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency and the Australia Council. The Indigenous art market can be lucrative for well-supported artists and the organisations backing them. In seeking to claim their share of this market, organisations with vested interests will either tousle