Brian is a contemporary Indigenous artist with ancestral lineage to the Maluyligal people of Torres Strait and the Wuthathi people of Cape York Peninsula.
Brian's design for the Prime Minister's Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems medallion draws deeply from his spiritual connection to the night sky.
For thousands of years, the sky has served as a vital guide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, enabling safe navigation across lands, seas, and waterways.
Beyond navigation, it holds profound knowledge predicting weather patterns, identifying food sources, and supporting sustainable practices essential for livelihood.
'There's a saying what happens above, happens below. If you want to experience the world below and know how things function, you look to the stars.' Brian explains.
'It's important to acknowledge these ways of connecting with the country, the seas, the waterways and the skies and how living in harmony with those areas helps us as a nation to move forward.'
Brian's medallion design reflects the richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems.
'The journey started off as a rough sketch. It's then been hand-carved to create all the different patterns and textures. There are a number of motifs that were embedded in the design'.
If you look closely, you'll see motifs reflecting land and sea management, food sourcing, medicine, song, dance, and ceremony.
Crafted at the Royal Australian Mint, it now stands as a national emblem for the Prime Minister's Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems.
'That sketch, to see it produced at the Royal Australian Mint, is absolutely amazing.' Brian said.
