GUMBAYNGGIRR artist Brentyn Lugnan said the name of his new exhibition Tradigital is an expression of the last twenty to thirty years of his works.

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His art has been evolving and it has an ancient connection to country meeting modern materials such as spray painting, ink and canvases.

“The art shows how Aboriginal culture evolves. It doesn’t move still.

“As we as a dynamic culture move forward, we will be using different methods to portray that connection.

“It doesn’t matter about the pigment transferal device as it is all about the integrity of the stories that underlie the art,” he said.

Mr Lugnan is happy with the breadth of work chosen by the curators.

The twenty-nine pieces on show at the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery from this week are a collection of his body of work spanning thirty years, including an original piece of carpet designed by Ontera/Milliken.

The carpet is part of commissioned work by the National Aboriginal Design Agency and used for a whole range of carpets, utilising colours from Urunga and surrounds.

Coffs Harbour’s new stadium is carpeted in Brentyn’s designs.

“My works are all about me and my connecting and showing my family’s connection to my country in Urunga.

“My art is a reclamation of Gumbaynggirr culture,” he said.

“We lost so much through the massacres that there is almost a renaissance at the moment for Aboriginal culture and a building of respect from the general public.”

Brentyn started drawing with his Dad around five or six years old.

When he was twenty four he got a job with Aboriginal Nations doing their dreaming series as an animator.

That was just the start he needed and it eventuated into a production coordinator role.

“That’s when I discovered there was an avenue to have a career in the arts.”

Catch Tradigital from 22 August to 17 October at the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery.

By Sandra MOON