Aurukun artists carve corporate gifts for Skytrans

A model Skytrans plane carved by
Wik and Kugu artist Bruce Bell

Aurukun’s Wik and Kugu artists have turned their hand to corporate gifts at the request of regional Queensland airline Skytrans.

Aurukun Mayor Dereck Walpo said the carvers had taken great delight in carving and painting model Skytrans planes.

“Skytrans Chief Executive Officer Mike Thinee was visiting the Wik and Kugu Art Centre and the artists told him they had been invited to the National Gallery of Victoria Patron’s Dinner,” he said.

“The dinner is in conjunction with the Past Legacy: Present Tense exhibition which includes the Gallery’s recent purchase of 15 Wik and Kugu ku, Aurukun’s famous camp dog carvings.

“Mike generously offered to sponsor the 10 artists so they could fly from Aurukun to Cairns and return.

“He asked if they would each make a model Skytrans plane which would be used as a corporate gift for clients.

“Skytrans is a very generous sponsor of both the Aurukun community and our Art Centre and we are very grateful for the many flights they donate as prizes and the assistance they give our artists to travel to exhibitions.

“We are fortunate to have such a good corporate citizen as this airline servicing our remote Cape York community.

“Who knows – Skytrans may have started a new line of work for our artists in the corporate sector.”

Past Legacy: Present Tense continues at the National Gallery of Victoria to January 2018.