Born in 2001, Erçan Cairns is an expressionist painter of Tongan, Maori and German decent. He considers the likes of Basquiat and Picasso as inspirations— his painting is bold, free and fearless, with a focus on the human form and a widely explorative colour palette. Erçan spends many hours in the studio without realising, with many works on the go. He works quickly and always knows when something is finished. The marks and forms are made from the movement of the whole body and emotion of the subconscious allowing the paint to flow on the surface. Erçan has completed a residency at Selaka Art Studio in Tonga and has exhibited in several public and private galleries. His mentors include Dagmar Dyck, Andy Leleisi’uao, and Fatu Feu’u. Ercan continues to grow and develop his personal language and iconography.