Napolean Oui

Napolean Phillip Oui began printmaking to present his innovative interpretations of shield designs and had conducted expensive research into museum collections. Initially he created small marketable screenprints based on historical shield designs before extending his art practice to painting where he feels freedom to reimagine a new cultural direction. For the past thirty years Oui has played an integral role as an educator and senior cultural presenter at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park in Cairns. His language name Weika means ‘quiet one’. “Much of the ‘abstract’ art found on shields have totemic significance while others relate to the natural world of the rainforest reflecting the close association and deep understanding that traditional people had for the rainforest environment in which they lived”. Oui was introduced to the oil stick medium during his 2012 Collaborative Print Residency in Montreal Canada and he found that it allowed him to express his art in a ‘free flowing way’. Through his art Oui tells the stories of the rainforest in his authentic style and in a way that connects him to his culture and heritage.