Brian Robinson’s intricate linocuts are, like the tales of heroes and villains that inspire them, rich with myth and metaphor. But it’s not just the creation stories of his Torres Strait home or the legends of Ancient Greece that inflect Robinson’s multidisciplinary oeuvre. Look closely at his prints and you’ll spot the unmistakable iconography of pop culture: Renaissance figures rub shoulders with Astro Boy, stormtroopers from Star Wars are framed by ancient constellations and powerful warriors stand sentry near rows of Space Invaders. In this conversation, which has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity, Robinson connects the cultural threads that inform his artistic practice.

CARODY CULVER: When you were a kid, you were often creating things – sketching or painting or making. Were you always drawn to a career as an artist?