Wayne Quilliam facts for kids

Wayne Quilliam (born 1963) is a famous Aboriginal Australian artist. He is known for his amazing photographs. Wayne is also a curator, which means he helps organize art shows. He gives advice on culture too. He lives in Melbourne and takes pictures of people (portraits) and nature (landscapes).

Wayne's Early Life

Wayne Quilliam was born in Hobart, Tasmania. He grew up in the city suburbs. As a child, he spent time in the wild areas around the Great Lakes. He also explored Central Tasmania. His uncles and grandfather taught him a lot about the land. However, he was not very connected to his Aboriginal culture back then.

Wayne's Career Journey

Wayne joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1979 when he was 15. He got his first camera at age 17 in 1980. This was while he was working in Hong Kong.

When Wayne was 21, he bought special equipment. This equipment was for developing photos in a dark room. He bought it from a customer whose chimney he was cleaning.

Later, he worked at an Aboriginal newspaper. It was called the Koori Mail.

Today, Wayne teaches at RMIT University. He is a professor in the School of Media and Communication.

What Wayne's Work Is About

Wayne Quilliam has taken pictures at many important Indigenous events. He has documented these events for over 20 years. This includes the Sorry speech and the 1967 Referendum Anniversary. He has also photographed many festivals. Some of these are Garma, Laura, Burunga, Dreaming, and Yeperenye festivals. He has visited hundreds of Aboriginal communities across Australia.

Wayne also works with Indigenous groups in other countries. He has visited Cuba, Mexico, and Bolivia. He has also worked in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Guam. He helps create art and cultural exchanges. His goal is to have art shows all over the world.

His 'Lowanna' photo series uses textures from the earth on people's bodies. His 'Towindri' landscape art shows beautiful natural scenes. His 'Smoke' exhibition explores the meaning of smoking ceremonies. These are important cultural events.

Wayne is the official photographer for the Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures. This festival takes place in Arnhem Land.

Exhibitions Around the World

Wayne Quilliam has had his own photo shows in many big cities. These include Havana, Tokyo, Mexico City, and New York City. He has also shown his work in Berlin, Sydney, and Melbourne. His photos have even been displayed at the United Nations in New York.

His photo show about the 'Apology' is called 'Sorry more than a Word'. It first opened at Parliament House in Canberra. Over 250,000 people have seen it. This exhibition continues to travel globally.

His art has also been shown in many galleries. These include the Museum of Young Art in Vienna. He has also had shows in several cities in Germany. His work has been seen in Russia, Guam, and Indonesia. His 'Towindri' exhibition in Cairo was very popular. It then toured to Riyadh and Beirut in 2014.

Notable Exhibitions

• Shades of Black (late 2004 - January 2005); Kluge-Ruhe Gallery, Virginia, United States
• HOME (2012); Wyndham Art Gallery, Wyndham City, Victoria
• Instaculture (July–August 2019); amBUSH Gallery, Sydney, New South Wales
• DJIWARR (April–August 2020)
• Earth Burns, Water Cries (July–September 2021); Venetian Media Group, South Yarra, Victoria

Wayne's Personal Life

Wayne Quilliam is a "freshwater man." This means his family comes from the central highlands of Tasmania. He has been with his wife, Jodie, since the early 2000s. They have a daughter named Tanisha.

Books by Wayne Quilliam

• Culture is Life (2021); Hardie Grant

Awards and Recognition

Wayne Quilliam has won many awards for his photography. He won the AIMSC Business of the Year award. National Geographic also named him a Master of Photography. He was a finalist for the Prix Pictet in Paris. He was also a finalist for the Bowness Art Award.

List of Awards

• 2008 Human Rights Media Award
• 2008 Walkley Award
• 2009 NAIDOC Artist of the Year
• 2019 Survival International 2020 Calendar Photo Competition
• 2022 National Photographic Portrait Prize