Dennis Nona, Sesserae (Badu Island Story) © Badu Art Centre
Aboriginal Art from Badu Island in the Torres Strait
Badu Art Centre, Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh, is the cultural home of Mura Badulgal artists. Since registering as an Indigenous Corporation in 2009, the centre has grown into a leading voice for Torres Strait Islander art. It was shaped by community members and artists such as Alick Tipoti, Laurie Nona, and Joseph Au, whose vision and leadership helped establish the centre for future generations.
Artists here work in linocut, etching, textiles, jewellery, and carving. Linocut prints in particular have brought the island international recognition, with bold imagery that captures marine life, ancestral stories, winds, and constellations. This work expresses ‘Aislan Kustom’, the unique identity of Badu, and keeps cultural knowledge active and visible.
Alongside Tipoti, well-known names such as Jomen Nona, Job Kusu, Weldon Matasia, Zac Gaidan, Tala Gaidan, Ral Laza, Sarah Gaidan, Taum Rueben, and Iona Gaidan (Senior) show the depth of creativity on the island. Their art combines technical skill with a commitment to heritage, producing works that are collected across Australia and abroad.
The mission of the centre is simple: to give Badu Island people opportunities to create and to share their culture through art. Every work is sold with a certificate of authenticity, catalogued and signed, ensuring both provenance and respect for cultural knowledge. The centre also invests in the next generation, with plans for a new art centre and keeping place, digital animation and textile workshops, training for arts workers, and stronger involvement of elders in everyday practice.
Badu Art Centre continues to receive support from Creative Australia, Arts Queensland, and the Torres Strait Regional Authority, recognition of its role in safeguarding and growing Torres Strait culture on Country.
Badu Art Centre at a glance
- Origins: Community-led and founded in 2009.
- Language/Culture: Kala Lagaw Ya, Torres Strait Islander culture.
- Art Style: Internationally recognised linocut prints, with etching, textiles, jewellery, and carving.
- Cultural Significance: Works express ‘Aislan Kustom’, linking marine life, ancestral stories, and island traditions.
- Recognition: Artists such as Alick Tipoti and Laurie Nona are widely collected and exhibited.
