Desert Brim at Lake Surprise

Mixed media on board

109 x 109 cm

Fabian Brown, a Waramungu and Walpiri man, was born in Alice Springs. He grew up in Ali Curing and has both Warumungu and Walpiri family connections. He started sketching at a young age when he was inspired by his elder brother, who was also a talented painter. Brown is very passionate about his art and draws from various imagery and influences from his life and travels. Educated in Ali Curung and Adelaide, Brown has travelled to various Australian cities and towns but holds his country and culture dearest of all. He is the leader of the Tennant Creek men’s painters and his work, while constantly exploring new artistic mediums, references both traditional and modern narratives and his own international iconographies. He is a great mentor to younger artists in the Brio; often he collaborates with them to produce work that speaks across generations.

Marcus Camphoo, aka, Double O, is an Alywarra man. Double O has a certain grace and otherworldly quality that shines through in his total commitment to exploring nuances of the grid, which has become his signature aesthetic. From the beginning it was clear Camphoo has a natural affinity towards large gestural and bold abstraction. The best of his works resonate like portals to an ulterior dimension.

The Tennant Creek Men’s art program started in 2016 as an art therapy/ outreach program set up by Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corp. The group, a mix of fringe dwellers and emerging cultural leaders, have continued to work together and often collaboratively, forming a unique and cutting-edge artist collective named ‘The Tennant Creek Brio‘. Their work pushes conventions, drawing on imagery and traditions from the Wirnkarra (Dreaming), the Old Testament and mythic iconography from around the world. Their action paintings and performance represent the enthusiasm and dedication of the collective as they continue to develop a cathartic visual language fuelled by the material histories and complexities of life in Tennant Creek.