Michael Cook (artist) facts for kids

Michael Cook (born 25 August 1968) is an Aboriginal Australian photographer. He has Bidjara heritage from south-western Queensland. His amazing photos are shown in big art galleries across Australia. Michael wants to help people understand Aboriginal Australian culture and history through his art. He has won two important awards called the Deadly Awards.

Early Life and Education

Michael Cook was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on 25 August 1968. He was adopted by Ronda and Keith Cook. Even though they weren't Indigenous, they helped him connect with his Aboriginal identity.

As an adult, Michael met his birth mother, Valda Cook. She told him his father was Bidjara, but Michael has never met him.

Michael went to school in Hervey Bay. He got his first camera when he was 14. At 17, he started working in a photo lab.

Michael Cook's Photography Career

When Michael was about 20, he opened his own studio. He also worked in photo labs and as a wedding photographer. In 2007, he started doing fashion photography. By 2009, he moved into art photography.

First Art Shows and Recognition

His first solo art show was called Through My Eyes in 2010. For this series, he put faces of Aboriginal people over photos of Australia’s prime ministers. This showed the idea of the government seeing things from an Indigenous point of view.

The series was first shown in a Brisbane gallery. Four art experts from the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) saw and bought the photos. They are now kept at the NGA. This work was also part of the Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards in 2011. It was even shown at the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra in 2014.

In 2011, Michael created two new series: Broken Dreams and Undiscovered. These were part of a big art show at the National Gallery of Australia in 2012. They are now also at the NGA. These artworks explore Australia's colonial history in a thought-provoking way.

International Opportunities

In 2013, Michael was chosen for ACCELERATE. This program helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the creative arts become leaders. He also won a special residency in New York City in 2014.

His series Mother was shown at Art Basel Hong Kong in 2016. He was also featured there again in 2019.

In 2020, his series "Livin’ the Dream" was picked for a big art fair in New York. The fair was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, his work was shown online and in an exhibition in Melbourne.

Also in 2020, a major exhibition of Michael's work called Michael Cook: Undiscovered was held. It was at the University of the Sunshine Coast Gallery. A special book about his art was also released.

Art Techniques and Messages

Michael uses skills from his earlier career in his art. These include retouching, styling, hair, and make-up. He uses photographic layering to build his images. His photos often look like paintings because of how he creates them.

He wants his art to help people understand Indigenous cultures. He believes that learning about Australia's history can create a better future. Michael asks questions through his art, like: "How would a better understanding of Indigenous culture affect Aboriginal people today?" He wants everyone to have more understanding.

Awards and Achievements

Michael Cook has been a finalist and winner in many art awards.

• 2008: Winner, "Visual Artist of the Year", 14th Annual Deadly Awards
• 2011: Winner, "Visual Artist of the Year", 17th Annual Deadly Awards
• 2011: Winner, "People’s Choice Award", Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards
• 2016: Winner, Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery, Queensland

Art Collections

Michael Cook's art is found in many important galleries. These include major Australian galleries and international collections.

• British Museum, London
• National Museum of World Cultures, Netherlands
• Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Art, Utrecht, Netherlands
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles
• Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection at the University of Virginia, US

Selected Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

• Through My Eyes (2010)
• Michael Cook: Undiscovered, University of the Sunshine Coast Gallery, Queensland (2020)
• Undiscovered: Photographic Works by Michael Cook, Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney (2021)

Group Exhibitions

• 2nd National Indigenous Art Triennial, titled unDisclosed, at the NGA (2012)
• 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane (2013)
• 19th Biennale of Sydney (2014)
• Venice Biennale (2015), series “Object”, as part of Personal Structures: Crossing Borders at Palazzo Mora
• Indigenous Australia: Enduring Civilisation at the British Museum (2015)
• Mapping Australia: Country to Cartography, AAMU, Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Art, Utrecht, Netherlands (2015–16)
• Lifelines: Indigenous Contemporary Art from Australia, Musée de la Civilisation in Québec, Canada (2016)
• Artist and Empire: (En)countering Colonial Legacies, Tate Gallery/National Gallery Singapore, Singapore (2016)
• Taba Naba: Australie, Océanie, arts des peuples de la mer, at the Musée Océanographique in Monaco (2016)
• Colony: Frontier Wars, National Gallery of Victoria, showing the series Majority Rule (2018)
• Cape Town Art Fair, South Africa (2019)
• Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, California (2019)