Centre for Australian Art

Australian Prints + Printmaking

Joel Sam

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Name

Joel Sam

Culture

Australian | Torres Strait Islander

Gender

Male

Birth date

1977

Birth place

Waiben (Thursday) Island View on map Close map

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Occupations

Printmaker

Summary

Worked: Australia (QLD).

Context

Australia

Biography

Joel Sam’s family lives in Bamaga and originates from Saibai Island. Born on Waiben (Thursday) Island he currently lives in Cairns, having finished his art studies in 2005 with a Diploma of Art in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Visual Arts at the Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE. Over the past few years he has been developing an art practice and technical skills in fine art printmaking. Joel’s artworks are inspired by his culture, and the images are of sea creatures that live in and around the Torres Strait, such as turtles, dugong, the fish of the reef and the shells and corals of the Coral Sea. The bidthai (squid) and the thulup (stingray) represent a main food source for Torres Strait Islanders. Joel is a regular exhibitor at KickArts Contemporary Arts in Cairns, and Djumbunji Press KickArts Fine Art Printmaking is publishing several of his prints. (courtesy of Kick Arts, 2009)

ATSI region

Torres Strait