Alair Pambegan is a Wik-Mungkan man who lives in the western Cape York community of Aurukun in North Queensland. Pambegan is the son of revered lawman, elder and artist Arthur Koo’ekka Pambegan Jr and heir to the Wik-Mungkan artistic traditions. His father was custodian for Walkaln-aw (Bonefish Story Place) and Kalben (Flying Fox Story Place), two significant ancestral narratives and associated story places along the Archer River, in the heart of Wik-Mungkan country. Pambegan was handed down stories and responsibilities from his father.
His practice includes large-scale semi-abstract paintings on canvas, and his installation works are made from milkwood painted with ochres and charcoal. He draws on the stories and law poles of his father, creating vibrant and innovative interpretations of the ancestral narratives.