A Secondary Eye is pleased to be exhibiting a sculpture focused presentation of artworks from Far North Queensland at the 10 year anniversary edition of Sydney Contemporary art fair. Featuring historical pieces from the First Nations community of Aurukun and a selection of artworks by renowned Torres Strait Islander artist Dr Ken Thaiday Snr.

WIK STORIES presents a rare group of sculptures from Aurukun offers insight into the cultural, historical and political narratives of the Wik people of Cape York Peninsula. Created before, during and after the landmark Wik Decision in 1996, the carvings are regarded by the community as an important record of ancestral stories, customary law and social order.

The presentation brings together works produced during a pivotal moment in Australian history, when Indigenous systems of knowledge and governance were being asserted within the framework of Australian law via the High Court of Australia. Rich in form and cultural meaning, the sculptures acted as a physical embodiment of ancestral narratives and totemic representations that continue to shape community identity, cultural continuity and connection to Country.

KEN THAIDAY SNR  is one of the most influential contemporary artists to emerge from the Torres Strait Islands. Over a career spanning nearly five decades, Thaiday has transformed ceremonial objects and cultural traditions into kinetic sculptural forms that are recognised internationally for their innovation, movement and visual resonance. Rooted in the traditions of the Meriam people, Thaiday’s practice draws upon ancestral narratives, dance, spirituality and maritime culture. His celebrated kinetic sculptures extend beyond the conventions of object-making, activating cultural knowledge through movement, performance and storytelling. Through this distinctive approach, Thaiday has expanded the possibilities of contemporary Indigenous Australian art while remaining deeply connected to cultural tradition.