Artist Showcase | Joel Sam

Clan groups: Umai/Suy Baydham
Language group: Kala Kawaw Ya

Joel Sam was born in 1977 on Thursday Island, Torres Strait, Queensland. His family lives in Bamaga, Queensland, but originally came from Saibai Island. Sam lives and works in Cairns, Queensland. 

Sam creates intricate carvings and sculptures made from shell and marble. He is also a printmaker and uses etching and linocut to create works that are inspired by his Torres Strait Islander culture and way of life. Sam’s designs are largely based on totems and clan markings, and often include representations of plants, animals, creatures from the sea, and astral constellations. 

Sam has been represented in several exhibitions, including the annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair since 2016, and the Cairns Art Gallery’s North by East West exhibition in 2018. In 2022 Sam received a Cairns RSL Artist Fellowship that supported the production of new work for his solo exhibition, Exodus, that was held at the Gallery in 2023.

Sam is represented in the Gallery’s online First Nation Research Archive developed as part of the Gallery’s online Legacy Archive produced to celebrate the Gallery’s 30th anniversary.

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Solo Exhibitions | Highlighted Works

Exodus
7 Jul - 22 Oct 2023
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Joel SAM Thabu Ganaw (Snake skin) 2010 etching, chine colle 92 x 49cm NorthSite Contemporary Art Collection Photo: Michael Marzik Joel SAM Kongasu 2023 vinylcut 60 x 100 cm Courtesy of the artist Photo: Michael Marzik Joel Sam, Malu Dhoeri Mawa from the Kulba Igilinga (Old Culture) series, 2020, artificial feather, emu feather, cassowary feather, starfish thorne, foam, acrylic paint, glass, cowrie shell, dowel, seashell, twine, cane, dugong bone, Matchbox Bean nuts seed pods, mother of pearl and raffia, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery 2021, Commissioned by Cairns Art Gallery Joel Sam, Dibidibi, 2018, twine, mother of pearl, raffia, emu feathers, dye, shells, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018

 

 

Group Exhibitions | Highlighted Works

RITUAL: the past in the present
15 May – 22 Aug 2021

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Joel Sam, Malu Dhoeri Mawa from the Kulba Igilinga (Old Culture) series, 2020, Courtesy of the artist Joel Sam, Umau Dhoeri Mawa from the Kulba Igilinga (Old Culture) series, 2020, Courtesy of the artist Joel Sam, Aybodh Dhoeri Mawa from the Kulba Igilinga (Old Culture) series, 2020, Courtesy of the artist. Joel Sam, Darbaw Dhoeri Mawa from the Kulba Igilinga (Old Culture) series, 2020, Courtesy of the artist    

Reimagining: Between Tradition and Innovation
17 Oct 2020 – 10 Jan 2021

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Joel Sam, Dibi dibi, 2018, carved shell and shell, mother of pearl, raffia, cassowary feathers, emu, feathers, shells, dye, twine, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dibi dibi, 2018, carved shell and shell, mother of pearl, raffia, cassowary feathers, emu, feathers, shells, dye, twine, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dhangalau Gi 2018, natural twine, mother of pearl, spray paint twine, mother of pearl, raffia, dye, shell, cassowary feathers, emu feathers, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018

North by East West: Re–igniting a cultural connection through pearl shell 
6 Jul – 19 Aug 2018

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Joel Sam, Dhangalau Gi, 2018, natural twine, mother of pearl, spray paint, twine, mother of pearl, raffia, dye, shell, cassowary feathers, emu feathers, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dibi dibi, 2018, carved shell and shell, mother of pearl, raffia, cassowary feathers, emu, feathers, shells, dye, twine, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dibi dibi, 2018, carved shell and shell, mother of pearl, raffia, cassowary feathers, emu, feathers, shells, dye, twine, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dibidibi, 2018, twine, mother of pearl, raffia, emu feathers, dye, shells, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dibi dibi , 2018, mother of pearl, raffia, cassowary feathers, emu feathers, shells, dye, twine, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018  

ARTNOW FNQ 2015
27 Nov 2015 – 7 Feb 2016

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Elizabeth Hunter and Joel Sam, Sapur, 2014, etching, Courtesy of the artist

 

 

Collection Works

Joel Sam, Marrkai Gub (Cyclone Yasi), 2011, linocut, linocut, Purchased by Cairns Regional Gallery, 2011 Joel Sam, Dhangalau Gi, 2018, natural twine, mother of pearl, spray paint twine, mother of pearl, raffia, dye, shell, cassowary feathers, emu feathers, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dibi dibi, 2018, carved shell and shell, mother of pearl, raffia, cassowary feathers, emu, feathers, shells, dye, twine, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dibidibi, 2018, twine, mother of pearl, raffia, emu feathers, dye, shells, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dibi dibi , 2018, mother of pearl, raffia, cassowary feathers, emu feathers, shells, dye, twine, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Dibi dibi, 2018, carved shell and shell, mother of pearl, raffia, cassowary feathers, emu, feathers, shells, dye, twine, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2018 Joel Sam, Umau Dhoeri Mawa from the Kulba Igilinga (Old Culture) series, 2020, artificial feather, emu feather, cassowary feather, boar tusk, foam, acrylic paint, glass, cowrie shell, dowel, seashell, twine, cane, dugong bone, Matchbox Bean nuts seed pods, shell, mother of pearl and raffia, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery 2021, Commissioned by Cairns Art Gallery Joel Sam, Aybodh Dhoeri Mawa from the Kulba Igilinga (Old Culture) series, 2020, artificial feather, emu feather, banana leaf, foam, acrylic paint, glass, dowel, seashell, twine, cane, Matchbox Bean nuts seed pods, vinyl, mother of pearl and raffia, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery 2021, Commissioned by Cairns Art Gallery Joel Sam, Darbaw Dhoeri Mawa from the Kulba Igilinga (Old Culture) series, 2020, artificial feather, emu feather, cassowary feather, foam, acrylic paint, glass, dowel, seashell, twine, cane, dugong bone, Matchbox Bean nuts seed pods, mother of pearl and raffia, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery 2021, Commissioned by Cairns Art Gallery Joel Sam, Malu Dhoeri Mawa from the Kulba Igilinga (Old Culture) series, 2020, artificial feather, emu feather, cassowary feather, starfish thorne, foam, acrylic paint, glass, cowrie shell, dowel, seashell, twine, cane, dugong bone, Matchbox Bean nuts seed pods, mother of pearl and raffia, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery 2021, Commissioned by Cairns Art Gallery

 

Exhibition Catalogues

RITUAL: the past in the present
Exhibition catalogue
North by North West
Room brochure

 

 

 

 

 

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The Cairns Art Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, names or voices of deceased persons in photographs, film or text.

The Cairns Art Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, names or voices of deceased persons in photographs, film or text.