Clan group: Meuram
Language group: Meriam Mir

Kapua Gutchen Senior was born in 1957 on Thursday Island. He has lived all his life on Erub (formerly Darnley Island), in the Torres Strait.

Kapua enlisted with the Australian Army in 1987 where he taught himself to draw. For more than 20 years he sketched people, campsites, infrastructure, shipping and boat movements, before he began experimenting with drawing from imagination and memory.

While growing up on Erub, Gutchen listened to people in his community tell stories about both pre- and post-colonial times. His works are a visual language of the culture and people of Erub, their ceremonies, rituals, market trade, music and dance.

He is represented by Erub Arts, Queensland.