Originally from the Torres Strait, where Aboriginal art developed very differently from the rest of the Australian continent, Ken Thaiday is a master of the ceremonial art of his region, where masks and dance ornaments hold a central place. Inspired by Maori traditions and influences from New Guinea, his work combines wood, feathers, and articulated elements to bring spectacular “dance machines” to life. This ceremonial headdress is a perfect example. It is a large-scale version of the “dance machines” worn on the heads of dancers during ritual ceremonies.

It represents Beizam, the hammerhead shark, a sacred symbol of law and order for which Ken is the symbolic representative. He explains that his work is a religious act, both social and personal, as the shark is his totem and symbolizes for him the entire Indigenous nature. The complexity of the mechanism allowing the different parts of this exceptional mask to move is truly impressive.

This work by Aboriginal artist Ken Thaiday was exhibited at the Musée d’Art Contemporain Les Abattoirs in Toulouse during the “Temps du Rêve / Dreamtime” exhibition in 2009.

A major retrospective of Ken Thaiday’s work  - "Ken Thaiday Senior / Erub Kebe Le" - was held at the Cairns Regional Gallery in 2013.