Mike Maka Artist Biography

About Mike Maka

Mike Maka is primarily a painter who works in a variety of media, mainly working on walls, canvas,l illustration, and more recently large sculptural commissions.

At 20, he received a scholarship to study art in New York which lead to a globally travelling lifestyle, travelling and created work around the world from the Berlin Wall to the River Ganges, and numerous Australian Aboriginal communities.

An active member of Everfresh Studio since 2006, Mike has exhibited extensively through Australia as well as shows in Brazil, Japan, Miami and New York, and has works in private and public collections locally and abroad, including acquisitions by the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, as well as working in institutions such as National Gallery of Victoria and MONA Tasmania.

His artwork captures a world in which the natural forces fight back against humanity, reclaiming the earth from the uncaring advance of civilisation. Focusing on the friction point between human, beast and machine, Maka presents a message to mankind to step foot outside of the concrete jungle and reconnect with mother nature and the animal in all of us.

Although known to wander in other dimensions, Mike is based between NYC and Melbourne Australia.

Solo Exhibitions

2019  ’Hanging Gardens of Makatron’ – OTC Gallery, Collingwood, Melbourne

2013  ’Revolutions’ – The Tate Gallery, Glebe, Sydney

2012  ’Cycles’ – House of Bricks, Collingwood, Melbourne

2011 ‘Mother of Millions’ – No Vacancy Gallery, Federation Square, Melbourne

2010 ‘Makanikal Gardens’ – Hogan Gallery, Collingwood, Melbourne

Artist Residencies

2012 AWOA (A Word of Art ) , 4 weeks residency, Capetown, South Africa

Mike Maka Artist Biography - Flower Lips Canvas
Mike Maka Artist Biography - Carcass Alice
Mike Maka Artist Biography - Ciggy Lips Mural
Mike Maka Artist Biography - Chameleon Mural

Group Exhibitions + International Events


MONA Tasmania – MOFO Faux Mo Event Artist – Painting + Installations

Maldives Street Art Festival – Inaugural event participant + exhibition in National Gallery.

Miami Art Basel – 4 x Muralist, Wynwood Embassy Exhibition + Allapattah Uninhibited Collective

Mexico – Major Mural Playa del Carmen

Gold Coast Arts Centre – Large Scale mural on Exterior wall

City of Melbourne Greening Laneway Project – Featured Artist for 2 lanes

Release of Retrospective Book “In Ten Cities” 152 pages of colourful global adventures.

Everfresh Blackbook Launch Exhibition – Melbourne , Sydney + Tokyo

National Gallery of Australia – Space Invader Exhibition, acquired for Permanent Collection Acquisition. Live-Painting at event.

National Gallery of Victoria – Federation Square Melbourne, Everfresh Inaugural Exhibition in Project Space.

National Gallery of Victoria – ‘Board’ Skate Culture Exhibition

Outpost-Cockatoo Island , Sydney Harbour,Project Artist for event.

Benalla Wall to Wall Mural festival.

Semi-Permanent- 1000 Pound Bend – Group Show

Arnhem Land Yirrkala – Multiple Murals, integration projects with local Rirratjingu Elders.

Coffs Harbour November Reign – Mural Festival

Melbourne Zoo – Reptile Centre Mural.

Melbourne Airport -International Departure Immigration Hall Mural

Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia –3 story commissioned mural in a World Heritage zone.

Laneway Festival -Melbourne – Featured Live Mural Art

Rainbow Serpent Festival -Multiple Stages Decor Artist/Designer/ Gallery

Brazil 

Essencia – 5 day event, Murals in all 4 zones and exhibition- Matilha Gallery, Sao Paulo.

Graffiti Vale Mural Festival – Paraibuna, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Flutu Arte – Floating Art – Project Artist – Urca, Botafogo, Rio de Janiero. Brazil

ACASA  – Curitiba Brasil  – Group Show

New York City – Major Mural Bedford Ave Williamsburg, Bushwick Collective + SuperChief Gallery Exhibitions Brooklyn.

New Jersey Savage Habbit Mural Zone

Singapore – Australian High Commission- Diplomatic Anniversary Gift of 50 murals

French Cable Series – Featured Artist on show ‘Seth Global Painter’

ARTE – German Documentary – Cities by the Sea Featured Artist.

No Vacancy Gallery Federation Square – 5 year Retrospective Exhibition.

Newcastle – ‘Off the Wall’ Street Art Festival.

Fringe Festival Group Show- This is Melbourne –- Bella Union Gallery

Madrid Spain 7 Deadly Sins Exhibition-  Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Hungary Budapest –Millenáris Street Games.

Long View Winery Label Competition Winner – Adelaide Hills


For a complete list of previous work contact me.


In Too Deep Podcast with Jack Rowland - Listen to Episode 9 with Mike Makatron

Tom Gerrard’s Benchtalk Podcast - Listen to Episode 138 with Mike Makatron