Gigs Wena

Gigs Wena was born in 1972 and comes from the Simbu (Chimbu) Province. Contrary to his sister Jane (also an artist) who remained in the capital Port Moresby, Gigs returned to his parent’s village and there, amongst other things, he worked as a bread baker. Gigs only began painting and sculpting in 1992. After observing his older sister painting, he was inspired to do the same. He then returned to Moresby to pursue his career as an artist. However Gigs withdraws continually back to his village, where he would prefer to live rather than in the city. Gigs’ work, much of which he has painted in his village Nombuna (Kerowagi), still smell of the smoke from the windowless native houses in which he works. In Gigs’ paintings, elements of traditional culture as well as native wildlife such as Geckos and multicoloured birds dominate .