how this illustration agency platforms first nations artists with cultural care
Plus, what small bizzes should understand about collaborating with First Nations creatives.
Meet Emrhan Tjapanangka Sultan, the co-founder, Project Manager and Cultural Consultant at Solid Lines – a First Nations-led illustration agency built on principles of constant connection to identity, culture and Country. (And he’s also a darn good artist in his own right!) After stumbling across a gap in the design world – being the bucketload of talented First Nations artists in remote communities without the access, support or care-led collaboration to connect them with the commercial industry – he got to thinking about how best to cover the distance. The answer? Build a bridge! And so that’s exactly what Emrhan and his fellow creative types at Solid Lines are doing: bridging commercial partners with the catalogue of rad talent on their books, and doing so with cultural care and protection.
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Tell us about you and your role at Solid Lines. I’m from Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and come from the Western Arrarnta and Luritja peoples on my mum’s side, and Kokatha and Yunkantjara peoples in South Australia on my dad’s side. I’m a co-founder and Project Manager at Solid Lines, where I work across artist representation and project delivery – closely with our agents and producers – and cultural consulting. A big part of my role is creating opportunities for First Nations artists while making sure cultural integrity and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, or ICIP, are respected throughout the process.
How did Solid Lines get started? Solid Lines came about after a conversation with my friend and colleague, Nicola St John, who had facilitated a design workshop with students at Ntaria School, about 130 kilometres west of Mparntwe. My mum is from Ntaria and I knew the school principal, so I was able to help connect Nicola with the community.
Through that experience we saw just how much talent existed in remote communities, but also how few pathways there were for young Aboriginal illustrators to enter the commercial design industry. We recognised a real gap in the market when it came to supporting First Nations artists in a culturally safe way while also protecting their cultural knowledge and creative work.
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At the core of Solid Lines is the principle of cultural safety. Tell us a bit about what that means, both in theory and in practice. For us, cultural safety means creating an environment where First Nations artists can feel confident that their culture, stories and creative practices are respected and protected. It also means recognising that First Nations cultures are diverse, and that artists should have the space to express their own cultural identity in a way that is authentic to them.
In practice, that means having conversations about ICIP, cultural appropriation and cultural authority. We know there have been ongoing issues with Aboriginal iconography being used inappropriately, both by non-Indigenous people and by other Aboriginal people using styles they don’t have cultural connections to.
One thing I’m particularly proud of is the work Solid Lines has done mentoring artists to learn more about their own mob’s art practices and encouraging them to develop their own visual brand. For some artists, especially those who may have been disconnected from community through experiences such as the Stolen Generations, that journey can also be part of truth-telling and healing.
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What do you think that the illustration and creative industries can improve on when collaborating with First Nations creatives? One of the biggest misconceptions I still hear is that all Aboriginal art is the same. One of our goals at Solid Lines has been to help educate people that First Nations cultures are incredibly diverse and that art and design styles vary across the country depending on people's Country, community and cultural connections.
I also think there’s a perception that to be a First Nations artist, you have to create what people often think of as “traditional” Aboriginal art. The reality is that First Nations artists work across all kinds of creative disciplines. At Solid Lines, we represent muralists, illustrators, graphic designers, animators and digital artists, all with their own unique styles.
My advice to the industry would be to broaden your understanding of what Aboriginal art can look like and who Aboriginal artists are. There is so much creativity beyond the styles most commonly recognised, such as Central Australian dot painting or rarrk designs from the Top End.
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For small businesses that want to partner with First Nations artists, what should they understand first? The first thing I’d encourage businesses to understand is that engaging a First Nations artist isn’t just about getting an Aboriginal design placed onto a product or project. It’s about building a genuine relationship and understanding the story, culture and meaning behind the work.
Businesses should take the time to listen, be open to learning and recognise that different artists have different cultural backgrounds, experiences and ways of working. It’s also important to have conversations about ICIP and ensure artists retain ownership and control over how their work is used. When businesses approach collaborations with respect and authenticity, the outcomes are always stronger and more meaningful for everyone involved.
How has creating art been a meaningful way of exploring expression and connection to Country for you? I’m fortunate that from a young age my mum, nanna and other family members taught me about our connection to Country through painting and storytelling. Through art I learnt about our Dreaming, our responsibilities and where we come from.
For me, creating art has always been about connection and understanding where and how we belong. It’s a way of carrying culture forward and sharing those stories with others.
My mum recently passed away, and that has made my connection to art even more meaningful to continue what she taught me. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to continue preserving our family’s stories and legacy, and hopefully pass that knowledge on to the next generation so they can continue it in the future.
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What kind of projects are you keen to work more on? As an artist, I’d love more opportunities to collaborate in the retail and product space and see my artwork and designs applied across a wider range of products. I’ve been fortunate to work on some incredible projects with well-known organisations and I’m really grateful for those opportunities. What makes them even more special is that I was able to share many of those experiences with my late mum.
For Solid Lines, I see us continuing to be leaders in the space of First Nations illustration and design. I’d like to see us expand the opportunities available to artists while continuing to advocate for the protection of ICIP and cultural heritage. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that First Nations artists are valued, fairly represented and celebrated for the incredible work they create.
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