Daniel Boyd (artist) facts for kids

Daniel Boyd, born in 1982, is an Australian artist. He creates amazing art using paint, sculptures, and installations. He won a big award, the Bulgari Art Award, in 2014. He was also a finalist for the famous Archibald Prize in 2022.

Early Life of Daniel Boyd

Daniel Boyd was born in 1982 in Cairns, Queensland. He is an indigenous Australian with many different family backgrounds. These include Kudjala, Ghungalu, Wanggeriburra, Wakka Wakka, Gubbi Gubbi, Kuku Yalanji, Yuggera, and Bundjalung peoples. He also has family from Vanuatu.

As a child, Daniel loved to draw. He even sold his drawings and paintings of the Great Barrier Reef to people visiting Cairns. Later, he studied art at the Australian National University School of Art & Design. He finished his studies in 2005.

Daniel Boyd's Art Career

Daniel Boyd became well-known for his art around 2005. He created a series called No Beard. These were oil paintings that playfully made fun of important figures from Australia's colonial past.

Key Artworks and Exhibitions

In 2010, Daniel created a large sculpture called Seven Versions of the Sun. The Queensland Government asked him to make it. This sculpture is on public display in Kangaroo Point, Brisbane.

In 2014, Daniel made history. He was the first Indigenous Australian to win the Bulgari Art Award. He won it for his artwork Untitled (PW). This painting showed people being taken from Vanuatu to work in Australia.

From 2022 to 2023, Daniel had his first solo art show in a major Australian gallery. It was called Daniel Boyd: Treasure Island. This show was at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It featured more than 80 of his artworks from nearly 20 years of his career.

Daniel was also a finalist for the Archibald Prize in 2022. This is a very famous art award. He created a portrait of the rap group Onefour for the prize.

Art Style and Themes

Daniel Boyd's art often makes fun of the "Eurocentric" way of looking at Australia's history. This means he challenges the idea that European views are the only important ones. For example, he has painted famous historical figures like James Cook and King George III as pirates.

His early paintings were mostly oil portraits. But later, he started using a unique style. He adds many small, dot-like shapes made from different materials onto his canvases.

Where to See His Art

You can find Daniel Boyd's artwork in many important galleries in Australia. These include the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. His art is also in the National Gallery of Victoria and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

His work has also been shown internationally. He has exhibited at the Natural History Museum in London and the Venice Biennale.

Album Cover Art

Daniel Boyd's artwork is featured on the cover of the 2024 album Kill the Dead by the music group 3%.

Basketball Career

Before becoming a full-time artist, Daniel Boyd was a semi-professional basketball player. He played as a shooting guard for the Cairns Marlins in the early 2000s.

Personal Life

Daniel Boyd lives in Marrickville, Sydney. He lives there with his partner and their four daughters.

Awards and Nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are big annual events in Australia. They celebrate the best music and artists in the country. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) presents these awards. They started in 1987.