Artwork
Gelam Nguzu Kazi
Gelam Nguzu Kazi is a print by David Bosun. It dates from 2001 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Look up chiaroscuro next—it’s a light-and-shadow technique that feels alive in prints like this.
David Bosun’s *Gelam Nguzu Kazi* is a linocut print from 2001. It blends ancestral stories with a fresh print method. Bosun printed it in black first, then rolled colored ink by hand before pressing again.
The colors go on right after the first print, while the block is still wet. The trick is called Kaidaral, named for a water spirit.
Look up chiaroscuro next—it’s a light-and-shadow technique that feels alive in prints like this.
Overview
Gelam Nguzu Kazi is a 2001 linocut print by David Bosun, a Mualgal artist from the Torres Strait Islands.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts the origin story of the gelam, or dugong, a primary totem animal of Moa Island, Bosun's home. The narrative tells of Gelam's transformation into a dugong after a dispute with his mother, Usar.
Technique & Style
Bosun employed a unique technique called Kaidaral, where the linocut block is re-inked with colored ink while still wet from the initial black ink print, then printed again. This process creates a layered, expressive image with rich color and texture.
Context
Bosun was part of a group of young Torres Strait Island artists who adopted linocut in the 1990s as a means to explore ancestral stories and contemporary life.
Artist & collection
Artist
David Bosun is a printmaker whose bold black-and-white works preserve stories from his culture.
