Queensland artist wins National NAIDOC Poster Competition

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28 April 2009

Luke Mallie, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist from Mackay in north Queensland, has won the prestigious National NAIDOC Poster Competition for 2009.

The National NAIDOC Poster Competition asked Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists across Australia to submit an artwork reflecting the 2009 NAIDOC theme - Honouring Our Elders, Nurturing Our Youth.

Luke's artwork, titled Carrying On Our Culture, was judged the winner by the National NAIDOC Committee from a record 140 entries. The competition carries a prize of $5,000 and the honour of having the artwork used on the 2009 NAIDOC Week poster.

Luke said his artwork, which uses water colour, acrylic and ink on paper, "represents the elders teaching and keeping watch over their young as they learn and grow into adults to then carry on the culture."

"The painting also depicts past elders who watch over everyone to protect and guide us through our lives. We all have the ability to connect to those spirits if we need guidance or inspiration."

National NAIDOC Committee co-chair, Anne Martin, said the committee had been struck by the "exuberance" of Luke's artwork and its depiction of respect by younger generations of Indigenous Australians for their elders.

"I congratulate Luke Mallie on winning the competition with his stunning piece of art. It really sums up the NAIDOC theme with the way it shows the transition of people from youth to adult to elder, along the way nurtured, educated and guided by our elders," Ms Martin said.

Ms Martin said the committee had been pleased once again with the high standard of entries from all parts of the country, as well as the number of Indigenous children who had sent in artworks.

The 2009 NAIDOC Week poster, displaying Luke's winning artwork will be distributed across Australia over the coming weeks. To order free copies of the poster, please call 1800 050 009.

Other NAIDOC celebrations such as the National NAIDOC Awards 2009 are still underway. Ms Martin also urges people to nominate local Indigenous community members to be recognised. The awards will be announced at the National NAIDOC Ball and Awards Ceremony on 10 July in Brisbane, the focus city for this year's NAIDOC Week celebrations.

The awards recognise significant contributions by Indigenous Australians across all fields, including music, art, culture, education, sport, employment and politics. Award nominations close on Friday, 1 May.

NAIDOC Week - the annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and achievement - this year will run from 5 to 12 July.

For more information on NAIDOC Week, and to see Luke Mallie's winning artwork, please visit www.naidoc.org.au

Profile of winning artist, Luke Mallie

Born in Brisbane, Luke Mallie is of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. His mother, Annie, is from the Kuku Yalanji Nation, which covers the Mossman/Daintree area north of Cairns; and his father, Aaron, is from Kubin on Moa Island in the Torres Strait. Luke is the youngest of seven children.

Luke grew up in Brisbane, but after completing a BA of Visual Art (majoring in painting) at the Queensland College of Art, he moved to Mackay where he now lives and works. Luke has worked as a graphic designer, web developer, and TAFE lecturer. He also paints commissioned artwork for small and large businesses, local schools, government organisations, and private buyers.

After spending several years in Mackay, Luke began studying a BA of Multimedia Studies at Central Queensland University to build upon his artistic skills, to help him in his quest to own an art and design studio that will cater to a nationwide clientele that require professional, original and personalised art and designs.

Luke says his artistic style is contemporary, drawing his inspiration from graphic design, cartoons and caricature drawings, illustrations and expressive to photo-realism paintings, as well as the breadth of Indigenous art styles across Australia.

Luke has a seven-year-old daughter, Jamaica Ann.