Steaphan Paton

Steaphan Paton is an interdisciplinary artist based in Melbourne. A member of the Gunai and Monero Nations, he grew up in Gippsland. His practice explores tradition, race and colonialism informed through his worldview being Aboriginal Australian.

Paton was highly commended for the Lin Onus Award at the 2007 Victorian Indigenous Art Awards for the drawing Dyillah (2007) and was a finalist in the 2011, 2012 and 2014 Awards.

Paton was commissioned by the City of Melbourne Laneways Commission 2011 for his project Urban Doolagahl. His exhibition at the Melbourne Museum, Booruns Canoe, was a collaboration telling of intergenerational knowledge through the art of canoe-making and is now part of the permanent collection at the Melbourne Museum.

Paton’s recent series, Cloaked Combat, is part of Melbourne Now at the National Gallery of Victoria. Paton has a keen interest in the environment, archaeology and in continuing Indigenous knowledge, traditions and stories. Steaphan is the founder and director of new artist run space, N/A Space, which seeks to foster the careers of dedicated young emerging artists through providing opportunities to exhibit their work and have studio space. N/A Space holds monthly exhibitions following the lunar calendar.