Aiona Gaidan Jr

Aiona is another one of the most committed artists on Badu.

He is young and dedicated. Aiona attention to the finest detail and refusal to accept anything less than excellence are evident not only in his own work – but also in the work he prints for others.

Aiona is Badu’s Master Printer and his craft is highly regarded by mainland and Master Printmaker of some 40 years – Californian (living and running workshops in Cairns Australia)Master Printer Theo Tremblay.

Aiona takes enormous care of the press, and sets up each edition so that the work is sharp, without ink-fill or excess bleeding and is kept pristine.

Aiona is also actively engaged with the selection of print to comprise the edition, and oversees the destruction of any images not considered to be high enough in quality to ‘make the grade’.

Unlike some Art Centres – where the Master Printer is flown in to produce the printed work – all work created on Badu by Badu Artists is also printed by a Badu Artist, making the work in our opinion ‘perfectly’ authentic. Perfectly Badu.

Aiona won imagery is unique and unmistakeable. Shapes and patterns swirl together and form a wholistic image – however on closer examination one can see the reverence this artist holds for his family Totem and the geography around Badu.

Frequently the artist shows the 4 hills of Moa Island in his work – a view all people on Badu see every day – and then those hills melt into the shape of Dugong playing in the ocean, or of crocodiles forming the backbone and structure of his work.

Aiona line work is both sensuous and lyrical but also strong and impressive. Further his use of patterning in the ‘white spaces’ of his prints frequently hide other shapes and images – appearing only when the work is closely studied.

Aiona work is delightful, beautiful and sensitive, produced by an impressive younger artist and one Badu is extremely proud of.