Stephen Berger b. 1970

Stephen Berger was born in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in 1970, and grew up surrounded by his artistically-minded and culturally knowledgeable extended family. Stephen has fond memories of going hunting around Mparntwe with his cousins, among whom include Hetti and Rachel Perkins, and acclaimed film director Warwick Thornton. Stephen’s uncle was soccer player and civil rights activist Charles Perkins. Stephen first began painting in the 1990s, “during a spell in prison”.

Stephen paints designs that capture the Dreamings of his ancestral country, passed down to him through family lines. Stephen uses the traditional dot technique of the Central and Western desert movements, capturing the vibrancy of the desert landscape through design, pattern and colour. He also uses the dot technique to create figurative works, depicting native flora and fauna like honey ants and cockatoos in the eucalypts.

Stephen moved to Albury and now lives on the east coast. He explains that he paints from his memory and intrinsic knowledge of his desert home. Stephen has exhibited widely and was a finalist in the 2021 North East Water Art Exhibition Award. Stephen is passionate about telling his stories through his art.