Ethan-james Kotiau

Ethan-James Kotiou, was raised on Iningai Country near Longreach in Central Queensland. His intricate acrylic works feature interwoven lines and meticulous dots which convey the journeys of thousands of generations of Iningai (Yiningayi) across their traditional lands. The stories depicted in his paintings are an attempt to stitch together the diaspora of his people, reinforcing their history and propelling them into the future.

“Why I paint is important to me. The process is important. In our culture - patience, timing, rythm, intuition, discipline, skill and creativity are necessary when we hunt, fish or dance, to master these you need to refine these attributes through a process of repetition. How you do it is important. Dignity and respect are important. My art is simply that it is the process of sharpening these attributes through repetition and emptying myself. Painting is my energy, my thoughts and my feelings of that particular moment" - Ethan-James Kotiou