Joshua Bonson’s works are as much about the act of painting as they are the subject. Bonson’s

palette knife, hands and brushes become an extension of his body, mind and spirit. A way of

processing emotions and telling a story. A contemporary artist who shares stories of his Indigenous

heritage passed onto him by his father and grandfather through his work.

‘In our culture, there is a connection between people and families; kinship that can’t be described or

translated in English. I capture those ties in my works, with my markings and the strokes of the brush.

My heritage guides the stories captured. Textured streaks of acrylic create an element of flow, scaled

perfection, they tell a personal story, a portrayal of uniqueness, solidarity, and an acknowledgement

of bloodlines.’

Creating art for Bonson is a discipline where he has no boundaries and is free to experiment and

explore the levels of creativity and master techniques. A space where he thrives and the canvas

becomes the medium for which he portrays his inner thoughts and emotions; while inviting viewers to

interpret and connect with the artwork on a personal level.

‘I create works to connect, to open windows into other people’s thoughts and to have them tell me

what they see and feel. An opportunity for the audience to use their imagination to find something in

my work that makes them think, feel, experience, and maybe share that with someone else. I want my

works to generate stories that people connect over or around; I love hearing what people see in my

paintings. Each work is a unique, with its own personality. They are all a part of me, enabling me to

express myself, tell a story, start a conversation.’

Thick slabs of paint applied generously float on watery surfaces, alluding to his people and totem, the

saltwater crocodile. Sections of landscape, closeups, memories of places and times gone past and

family. Each painting is unique showcasing his visual language, portraying its own personality with the

use of texture, movement and colour.

Culture plays an important part in Joshua’s life and his art. ‘My great grandmother was from The Torres

Strait islands and her eldest son was my grandfather, Donald Bonson. He told me everything is

connected, the land, the water and us. Like the crocodile, we are saltwater people with an ancient

lineage. Bonson also traces his ancestry through his great-great grandmother Dolly Bonson, a Jawoyn

woman from Katherine who was also known as Bett-Bett the servant girl featured in We of the Never-

Never and The Little Black princess books by Jeannie Gunn.

In 2025, Joshua relocated from Darwin to live in Cairns Far North Queensland reconnecting with family

and his ancestral home in the Torres Strait, the shift has been life changing as well as a homecoming

as a part of him has always existed on the islands, on each of his artworks.

Bonson is an award-winning artist who has exhibited both nationally and internationally and his work

is held in prominent collections including The National Gallery of Australia, Kerry Stokes, The Owen

and Wagner Collection / Hood Museum of Art – Hanover, NH, USA, Wheelock Properties Collection,

Toga Group and Art Bank to name but a few.

Accolades have followed Bonson since the age of 18 when he was the youngest ever finalist in the

prestigious 24th & 25th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award (2007 & 2008). He

has been the winner of the Togart Contemporary Art Award (2011), Top End NAIDOC artist of the year

(2013), Young Achievers Award NT & Artist of the year (2014) as well as a finalist in the 30th Telstra

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (2013), City of Albany Art Prize, WA (2013),

Churchie Art Award QLD (2015) and The Alice Prize, NT (2020).