About Lisa
Lisa Michl Ko-manggèn
Lisa Michl is a celebrated Kokoberrin artist from Central Western Cape York Peninsula in Queensland Australia. Lisa is of the Kokoberrin language group and her homelands on her mother’s and grandmother’s side are known as Pinnarinch and stretch between Staaten River National Park in the south and north to Nassau River, including Wyabba Creek and Dorunda Lodge area.
Born: 1977 in Cairns, Queensland
Clan group: Kokoberrin
Language Group: Kokothalpal
Area: Central Western Cape York Peninsula Queensland
Homelands: Pinnarinch
Community: Cairns – Kowanyama – Normanton
Clan story place: Water Fairy
Totem Name: Ko-manggén
Lisa Michl is a celebrated Kokoberrin artist from Central Western Cape York Peninsula in Queensland Australia. Lisa is of the Kokoberrin language group and her homelands on her mother’s and grandmother’s side are known as Pinnarinch and stretch between Staaten River National Park in the south and north to Nassau River, including Wyabba Creek and Dorunda Lodge area. The beautiful and remote lands of Pinnarinch encompass several important Clan Story Places with Ko-manggén being one of them.
In Kokoberrin language Ko-manggén means “Saltwater catfish”. This totem name was given to Lisa by her great grandfather, the most senior Kokoberrin elder and lore man. Today the Kokoberrin reside mainly in Kowanyama, Normanton and other north Queensland communities where strengthening and maintaining cultural practice is achieved through a variety of activities.
The beautiful and remote lands of Pinnarinch encompass several important Clan Story Places with Ko-manggén being one of them. In Kokoberrin language Ko-manggén means “Saltwater catfish”. This totem name was given to Lisa by her great grandfather, the most senior Kokoberrin elder and lore man. Today the Kokoberrin reside mainly in Kowanyama, Normanton and other north Queensland communities where strengthening and maintaining cultural practice is achieved through a variety of activities.
On her father’s side, Lisa has links to the Czech Republic in Europe where her extraordinary paintings have been exhibited to wide acclaim. Lisa’s beautifully coloured earth tone paintings present intricate forms and bold designs that have found favour among collectors in the USA, Canada and Europe. Closer to home, Lisa has shown her works in prominent Australian exhibitions such as The RAKA Award, Story Place, Indigenous Art of the Cape York & Rainforest and Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and her works have been selected for the prestigious National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award.
Lisa has been practicing visual arts for 22 years and over this time her works have been inspired by her memories of time spent on country with her Kokoberrin family. Her artworks play an instrumental role in documenting and maintaining Kokoberrin stories for future generations. Over her career Lisa has maintained a successful aboriginal owned and operated creative enterprise and has recently re-established her business Cape York Designs to the company Cape York Art. Much of her success can be attributed to the ongoing support from her family guidance from her elders and the mentoring she has received around business management and artistic skills development. Lisa is now a mentor and adviser to fellow emerging Indigenous artists of the Far North Queensland region.
In June 2019 Lisa was awarded a Queens Birthday Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of her outstanding contribution to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts and Cultural Sector.
Over her career through both payed and voluntary employment Lisa has demonstrated a passion and dedication to building pathways and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practitioners and she has been approached by several federal, state and local boards across several industries to make positive contribution to the Indigenous arts movement from Far North Queensland. Lisa’s artworks can be found in the collections of the Queensland Art Gallery, Parliament House, Cairns Regional Gallery and Australian ArtBank as well as the Australian Embassy in Germany.
In recent years Lisa has taken time away from her arts practice to start her family and she is now looking at reinstating her position as one of Far North Queensland’s most exciting designers and as the Creative Director of Cape York Art. Currently Lisa is working on an exciting new range of works on paper, giftware, apparel and jewellery these will be made available in the near future.
This artwork was commissioned for use in the Indigenous Genomic Health Literacy, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
This collaborative landscape painting was commissioned in response, to the desire to invest in an original artwork that represents ITEC Group Australia’s services, journey and vision.
This artwork was commissioned by Gilimbba for use in the Dementia Australia’s Indigenous Engagement Handbook.
Exhibitions
2019 Curated exhibition DATSIP One William Building Brisbane Qld
Curated exhibition Freshwater Saltwater UMI Arts, Cairns Qld
Cape York Art Market at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns QLD
2018 Curated exhibition You and Me UMI Arts, Cairns QLD
Curated exhibition Freshwater Saltwater exhibition UMI Arts, Cairns Qld
Meeanjin Markets, Comm Games, Brisbane Qld
Sydney Connect Tradeshow, NSW
BTOF Markets UMI Arts, Cairns QLD
Cape York Art Market at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns QLD
UMI Arts Curated exhibition at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns QLD
UMI Arts Market at Darwin Aboriginal Arts Fair NT
2017 Curated exhibition You and Me UMI Arts, Cairns QLD
Curated exhibition Freshwater Saltwater exhibition UMI Arts, Cairns Qld
Cape York Art Curated exhibition at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns QLD
Pullman exhibition, Cairns International Qld
UMI Arts Market at Darwin Aboriginal Arts Fair NT
2016 Curated exhibition You and Me UMI Arts, Cairns QLD
Curated exhibition Freshwater Saltwater exhibition UMI Arts, Cairns Qld
Cape York Art Curated exhibition at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns QLD
Pullman exhibition, Cairns International Qld
2015 Curated exhibition You and Me, Members exhibition, UMI Arts, Cairns, QLD
Cape York Art Curated exhibition at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
Freshwater Saltwater exhibition UMI Arts, Cairns Qld
Touring exhibition UMI Arts, Cairns QLD
Pullman Exhibition, Cairns International Qld
Delmar Gallery, Trinity Grammar School NSW
2015 Delmar Gallery NSW
Existance 2015 Touring Exhibition
Pullman Cairns International Exhibition
You and Me Exhibition Umi Arts Cairns
Freshwater Saltwater Exhibition Umi Arts Cairns
2014 Curated exhibition August, Freshwater Saltwater, UMI Arts, Cairns, QLD
Curated exhibition August, Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns QLD
CIAF Cruise liner terminals, Cairns
Freshwater Saltwater Exhibition UMI Arts Cairns
2013 Curated exhibition August, Freshwater Saltwater, UMI Arts, Cairns, QLD
Curated exhibition August, Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns QLD
2012 Group Exhibition August, Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD
Group exhibition November, Post Card Show, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD
Group Exhibition August, Pathways, Umi Arts Cairns, QLD
2011 Group Exhibition August, Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD
Group exhibition November, Post Card Show, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD
2010 Solo exhibition August, Kokoberrin Country, Canopy Arts Space, Cairns QLD
Curated exhibition August, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD
Curated exhibition August, Pathways, UMI Arts, Cairns, QLD
Solo exhibition February, Japingka Gallery, Perth, WA
2009 Group exhibition December, Summer Show, Hogarth Gallery, Paddington, NSW
Group exhibition December, Summer Show, Joan Winter Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
Solo exhibition October, Hogarth Gallery, Paddington, NSW
Solo exhibition September, Framed Gallery, Darwin NT
Curated exhibition August, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Tanks Arts Centre, Qld
Solo exhibition May, Returning Home, Cairns Regional Gallery, Cairns, QLD
Group exhibition June, UMI Arts, The Dreaming Festival, Woodford, QLD
Solo exhibition June, My Homelands, Daintree Eco Lodge, Daintree, QLD
2008 Solo exhibition September, Pinnarinch, Helen Maxwell Braddon, Canberra, ACT
Solo exhibition October, Pretty Pretty Shell, MARS Gallery, Port Melbourne, VIC
Solo exhibition June, Stories of the Kokoberrin, The Dreaming Festival, Woodford, QLD
Group exhibition June, Festival of Pacific Arts, American Samoa
Group exhibition November, The RAKA Award, Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne, VIC
Group exhibition June, Joan Winter Gallery, Paddington, Brisbane, QLD
Group exhibition May, Banggu Minjaany Art Gallery, Cairns, QLD
2007 Solo exhibition June, Japingka Gallery, Perth, WA
Solo exhibition September, My Country, Hogarth Galleries, Paddington, NSW
Solo exhibition November, Bundarra Gallery, Port Douglas, QLD
Solo exhibition June, Old Spirits, Tanks Arts Centre Cairns, Qld
Group exhibition August, 24th Telstra National ATSI Art Award, MAGNT, Darwin, NT
Group exhibition February, Opera House, Aboriginal Tourism Australia, NSW
Group exhibition November, Post Card Show, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD
2006 Solo exhibition April, Earth’s Dust – Creation, Cairns Regional Gallery, Cairns, QLD
Solo exhibition June, Dreaming Story, Hogarth Galleries, Paddington, NSW
Solo exhibition May, Clear Day, Banggu Minjaany Art Gallery, Cairns, QLD
Solo exhibition September, Returning Home, Helen Maxwell Gallery, Canberra, ACT
Group exhibition June, Gatherings II, Kick Arts Gallery, Cairns, QLD
Group exhibition June, NAIDOC, Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns, QLD
Group exhibition November, Post Card Show, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD
2005 Solo exhibition June, Pinnarinch, Andrew Baker Art Dealer Bowen Hills, QLD
Group exhibition August, 22nd Telstra National ATSI Art Award, MAGNT, NT
2004 Group exhibition Out of Country, Washington, D.C. USA
Group exhibition Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
2003 Group exhibition May, Story Place, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane Australia
Group exhibition June, Cape York + Torres Strait Art, QLD Art Gallery, Brisbane
Group exhibition Great Art Exhibition, Germany Grosse Kunstausstellung Dusseldorf, Germany
Personal Qualifications
Professional Qualifications
2014 TAE and Cert IV in Business- Governance
2009 TNQ TAFE Banggu Minjaany Arts and Cultural Centre Advanced Diploma in ATSI Visual Arts
2000 TNQ TAFE Certificate in Workplace Training and Assessment
1999 TNQ TAFE Certificate V in Workplace Training and Development
1998 TNQ TAFE Certificate IV in Workplace Training
Awards
2011 Laura Art Award Major Prize
2009 Semi finalist, The RAKA Award, Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne, VIC
Semi finalist, Queenslander Awards, Art and Culture
2007 24th Telstra National ATSI Art Award, MAGNT, Darwin, NT
2006 Award recipient, Yvonne Coen Indigenous Youth Art and Leadership Award, Wilin Centre, Victorian College of the Arts,
2005 Special mention, Yvonne Coen Indigenous Youth Art & Leadership Award, Wilin Centre, Victorian College of the Arts,
Award recipient, Heather Blair Award, Cairns Regional Gallery for production and presentation of fine art paintings
Semi finalist, 22nd Telstra National ATSI Art Award, MAGNT, Darwin, NT
Grants
2009 Arts Queensland- Building skills and opportunities
2008 Australia Council- Presentation and promotion
2007 Australia Council- New Work
Residencies
2009 Festival of Pacific Arts America Samoa- Australian Delegation
Publications
2014 Freshwater Saltwater Publication
2014 Umi Arts Cairns and 2014 CIAF Cruise Liner Terminals Cairns
2009 Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair
2008 Kate Challis RAKA Award- Contemporary Indigenous Visual Arts
The collection- Cairns Regional Gallery acquisitions
2006 Undiscovered our rising art stars- Australian Art Collector
Gathering II Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art from Queensland Australia
2003 Story Place- Indigenous art of Cape York and the Rainforest
Grosse Kunst Ausstellung DÚSSELDORF NRW
2001 Now Days Early Days Artwork and Legends- Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art
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