Lisa Michl Ko-manggén (OAM)

Lisa Michl Ko-manggén is a celebrated, awarded visual artist and cultural advisor, who has exhibited widely and represented Australia’s First Nations people at events in Europe, USA, Pacific and Caribbean Islands, among others.

Lisa lives in Gimuy and has family connection to 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. 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 were strengthening and maintaining cultural practice is achieved through a variety of activities. Lisa shares elements of Kokoberrin culture and stories with her audience in her beautiful artworks and designer gifts.

In 2019 Lisa was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in recognition of her dedication and commitment over 26 years to nurturing and supporting Queensland’s Indigenous Arts industry while also consistently creating and showcasing her own extraordinary artwork.

Lisa explains,
“Creative expression is a healing and grounding pastime for me and sharing our Kokoberrin history and stories keeps our Kokoberrin culture strong. I’m always delighted when an art collector or museum invests in my work for their collection, because I know our stories will be valued and shared”.

“We recently established a professional art studio with amazing new equipment, so new works are being developed for upcoming art fairs and exhibitions. As I look to the future, I see myself mentoring our next generation to be strong arts and culture. I see my family spending more time on country protecting and preserving our Homelands through Kokoberrin Tribal Aboriginal Corporation (KTAC). I would like to continue to work closely with likeminded businesses and organisations to create partnerships that deliver better outcomes for my people and Close the Gap on Indigenous disadvantage in Queensland”.

Artwork held in the following collections:

• National Gallery of Victoria
• Australian Embassy, Germany
• Cairns Regional Gallery
• Queensland Art Gallery
• Festival of Pacific Arts America Samoa- Australian Delegation
Collection
• Parliament House, 2009
• Australian Artbank
• AIATSIS
• Cairns Regional Council
• Pullman Cairns International
• QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
• Dementia Australia- Gilimbaa
• Acuro

Awards and recognition include:

• OAM 2019
• Yvonne Coen Indigenous Youth Art & Leadership Award, 2006
• Heather Blair Award, Cairns Regional Gallery, 2005
• Award, Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne
• Semi-finalist, Queenslander Awards, Art, and Culture
• Semi-finalist, 22nd Telstra National ATSI Art Award, MAGNT, Darwin

Exhibitions:

2023 AIATSIS Indigenous Art Market, online exhib Canberra ACT
UMI Arts Market, NAARM VIC
DestinationQ Cairns Convention Centre Cairns Q
DestinationIQ Cairns Convention Centre Cairns Q
UMI Arts Market at Darwin Aboriginal Arts Fair NT
UMI Arts Market NIAF Sydney NSW
Cape York Art Market at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Cairns Q
Lowitja Institute: 3rd International Indigenous Health & Wellbeing Conference Cairns Q

2022 AIATSIS Indigenous Art Market, online exhib Canberra Act
UMI Arts Curated exhib, The Summer Show, Cairns Q
Curated exhib Freshwater Saltwater UMI Arts, Cns Q
Cape York Art Market at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Cairns Q
UMI Arts Curated exhib, NIAF, International Terminal, Sydney, NSW

2021 Curated exhib You and Me UMI Arts, Cairns Q
AIATSIS Indigenous Art Market, online exhib Canberra ACT
UMI Arts Curated exhib, The Summer Show, Cairns Q
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, online exhib Cairns Q

2020 UMI Arts Curated exhib at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, online
UMI Arts Market at Darwin Aboriginal Arts Fair NT, online
Curated exhib Freshwater Saltwater exhibition UMI Arts, Cairns Q

2019 Curated exhib DATSIP One William Building Brisbane Q
Curated exhib Freshwater Saltwater UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Cape York Art Market at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns Q

2018 Curated exhib You and Me UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Curated exhib Freshwater Saltwater exhibition UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Meeanjin Markets, Comm Games, Brisbane Q
Sydney Connect Tradeshow, NSW
BTOF Markets UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Cape York Art Market at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns Q
UMI Arts Curated exhib at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns Q
UMI Arts Market at Darwin Aboriginal Arts Fair NT

2017 Curated exhib You and Me UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Curated exhib Freshwater Saltwater exhibition UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Cape York Art Curated exhib at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns Q
Pullman exhib, Cairns International Q
UMI Arts Market at Darwin Aboriginal Arts Fair NT

2016 Curated exhib You and Me UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Curated exhib Freshwater Saltwater UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Cape York Art Curated exhib at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns Q
Pullman exhib, Cairns International Q

2015 Curated exhib You and Me, Members exhibition, UMI Arts, Cairns, Q
Cape York Art Curated exhib at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
Freshwater Saltwater exhib UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Touring exhib UMI Arts, Cairns Q
Pullman Exhib, Cairns International Q
Delmar Gallery, Trinity Grammar School NSW

2014 Curated exhib August, Freshwater Saltwater, UMI Arts, Cairns, Q
Curated exhib August, Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns Q

2013 Curated exhib August, Freshwater Saltwater, UMI Arts, Cairns, Q
Curated exhib August, Indigenous Art Fair, Shipping Terminals Cairns Q

2012 Group Exhib August, Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair, Cairns Regional Gallery, Q
Group exhib November, Post Card Show, Cairns Regional Gallery, Q
Group Exhib August, Pathways, Umi Arts Cairns, Q

2011 Group Exhib August, Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair, Cairns Regional Gallery, Q
Group exhib November, Post Card Show, Cairns Regional Gallery, Q

2010 Solo exhib August, Kokoberrin Country, Canopy Arts Space, Cairns QLD
Curated exhib August, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD
Curated exhib August, Pathways, UMI Arts, Cairns, QLD
Solo exhib February, Japingka Gallery, Perth, WA

2009 Group exhib December, Summer Show, Hogarth Gallery, Paddington, NSW
Group exhib December, Summer Show, Joan Winter Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
Solo exhib October, Hogarth Gallery, Paddington, NSW
Solo exhib September, Framed Gallery, Darwin NT
Curated exhib August, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Tanks Arts Centre, Q
Solo exhib May, Returning Home, Cairns Regional Gallery, Cairns, Q
Group exhib June, UMI Arts, The Dreaming Festival, Woodford, Q
Solo exhib June, My Homelands, Daintree Eco Lodge, Daintree, Q

2008 Solo exhib September, Pinnarinch, Helen Maxwell Braddon, Canberra, ACT
Solo exhib October, Pretty Pretty Shell, MARS Gallery, Port Melbourne, VIC
Solo exhib June, Stories of the Kokoberrin, The Dreaming Festival, Woodford, QLD
Group exhib June, Festival of Pacific Arts, American Samoa
Group exhib November, The RAKA Award, Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne, VIC
Group exhib June, Joan Winter Gallery, Paddington, Brisbane, QLD
Group exhib May, Banggu Minjaany Art Gallery, Cairns, QLD

2007 Solo exhib June, Japingka Gallery, Perth, WA
Solo exhib September, My Country, Hogarth Galleries, Paddington, NSW
Solo exhib November, Bundarra Gallery, Port Douglas, QLD
Solo exhib June, Old Spirits, Tanks Arts Centre Cairns, QLD
Group exhib August, 24th Telstra National ATSI Art Award, MAGNT, Darwin, NT
Group exhib February, Opera House, Aboriginal Tourism Aust, NSW
Group exhib November, Post Card Show, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD

2006 Solo exhib April, Earth’s Dust – Creation, Cairns Regional Gallery, Cairns, QLD
Solo exhib June, Dreaming Story, Hogarth Galleries, Paddington, NSW
Solo exhib May, Clear Day, Banggu Minjaany Art Gallery, Cairns, QLD
Solo exhib September, Returning Home, Helen Maxwell Gallery, Canberra, ACT
Group exhib June, Gatherings II, Kick Arts Gallery, Cairns, QLD
Group exhib June, NAIDOC, Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns, QLD
Group exhib November, Post Card Show, Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD

2005 Solo exhib June, Pinnarinch, Andrew Baker Art Dealer Bowen Hills, QLD
Group exhib August, 22nd Telstra National ATSI Art Award, MAGNT, NT

2004 Group exhib Out of Country, Washington, D.C. USA
Group exhibition Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

2003 Group exhib May, Story Place, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane Australia
Group exhib June, Cape York + Torres Strait Art, QLD Art Gallery, Brisbane
Group exhib Great Art Exhibition, Germany Grosse Kunstausstellung Dusseldorf, Germany