Dino Wilson

Dino Wilson has been described by his fellow artists at Jilamara Arts and Crafts as “large, loud and bright.” His short career was similarly remarkable. His work quickly found its way into national and international collections. Born in Wurrumiyanga, Bathurst Island, to a family of artists, he came to the main township of Milikapiti in 2016. Encouraged by his elders, he started painting soon after. His favourite subject was the story of the sun, Warnarringa. This is a creation myth in which an old lady (Murntankala) brings fire into the dark world. In her basket (tunga) she brings her three children who later become the Tiwi ancestors. Using the locally gathered ochre colours and the dots, circles and lines characteristic of Tiwi designs, Dino’s bold, uncluttered compositions and dramatic use of negative space attracted attention immediately. Within a year he was selling work in Melbourne, Sydney and Berlin, and was soon being selected for NATSIA finalist shows (2021, 2022). He had a signature flair that was described by critics as dynamic but nuanced. Dino’s painting sprang from his memories of stories told around the campfire during his childhood. He had an ongoing interest in what the old people had to say and found inspiration in artefacts from the local museum. It was important to him to remain close to family and country. Like his fellow artists, he was discovering a visual language to convey these ancient stories to the world, but he also stood out amongst them because of his fresh and innovative approach. His early death is sadly mourned. © Adrian Newstead