Tyrown Waigana
Boorloo / Perth, WA
"Growing up, many Aboriginal kids did things because that's what they believed an Aboriginal person did. This mentality becomes very destructive when they believe an Aboriginal person is a criminal, violent, drunk or unable to do positive things such as hold a job. These ideas have been ingrained in our people by white Australia and many of us carry out negative behaviour to validate our identity, especially during our formative years."
About the Artist
�My name is Tyrown Waigana. I am a 25-year-old Wardandi Nyungar (Aboriginal) and Ait Koedal (Torres Strait Islander) multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer. My practice includes painting, illustration, sculpture, animation and graphic design.�
Based in Boorloo / Perth, Tyrown�s art investigates identity, politics, experiences and feelings of the everyday. Often approaching his works with dry humour and poetry, Tyrown creates pieces that are thought-provoking and question art history. He further explores storytelling through his brand Crawlin Crocodile, working with design, illustration and animation.
Tyrown won the 2020 National NAIDOC Poster Competition and was named the 2020 NAIDOC Artist of the Year. His work is held in the Art Gallery of Western Australia�s collection and in late 2021 he also completed a major art commission for the gallery, creating a large mural for its foyer. He is a first-time finalist in the 2022 Telstra NATSIAA.
