David Fenoglio Yuriyal, Eric

Born in Queensland, Australia, multidisciplinary artist Yuriyal Eric Bridgeman belongs to the Yuri tribe of Simbu province, Papua New Guinea, and spends his time between the two countries.

He is a co-founder of Haus Yuriyal, an artist collective based in Jiwaka province in the highlands of PNG. Part of Haus Yuriyal’s practice involves making shield paintings. The collective works closely with the Yuri Alaiku Kuikane Association to restore peace between the Yuri clans through community development and the arts.

Bridgeman and David Fenoglio, who is a first-time Archibald finalist, met over 15 years ago, while studying at Queensland College of Art.

In this portrait, Fenoglio depicts Bridgeman sitting calmly, facing us directly, while the colours of the shield paintings he is working on radiate behind him. The tattoos on his arms include the name and symbol of two brothers from the Haus Yuriyal collective.

‘The contrast between the flat shapes in the background and Eric’s figure in the foreground, painted naturalistically, evokes the way I perceive his complex personality,’ says Fenoglio. ‘Eric has a fierce warrior energy and the sensitivity of a poet. I hope I’ve captured that.’