Hayley Millar Baker

Hayley Millar Baker (b. 1990) is a distinguished lens-based artist living in Melbourne, Australia. Her identity is deeply rooted in her Aboriginality, belonging to Gunditjmara, Djabwurrung, and Nira-Bulok Taungurung peoples through her maternal lineage, with Anglo-Indian and Portuguese-Brazilian ancestry on her paternal side. This blend of influences shapes Hayley’s worldview and artistic vision, infusing her work with a rich sense of history, identity, and spirituality. Her diverse cultural heritage is central to her sense of self and drives her creative exploration, offering a tapestry of perspectives that deeply inform and enhance the themes within her art.

Hayley’s work intricately visualises multifaceted Indigenous feminine narratives, providing poignant provocations and reflections on being, identity, spirituality, and the human psyche, all rooted in her personal experiences and heritage. By focusing on the nuanced psychological landscapes of Indigenous women, she portrays their profound emotional and mental depth while exploring perspectives that honour their indomitable spirit and innate spirituality. Through her conceptual and abstract artistic vision, she employs oblique storytelling techniques to challenge conventions and push boundaries in photography, collage, film, and video. Her work resonates with deep emotional intensity, inviting audiences on evocative, non-linear journeys of discovery and interpretation that unfold and evolve over time.

In addition to her artistic practice, Millar Baker is a passionate advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues and cultural recognition. She actively engages in discussions surrounding truth-telling and the enduring legacies of colonisation in Australia, emphasising the urgent need to acknowledge both present and historical injustices faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. As a vocal proponent of the full inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the arts, she advocates for recognition and support for Indigenous parents, highlighting the critical lack of structures that facilitate their meaningful participation and success in the creative sector. Through her art and public speaking, Millar Baker challenges dominant narratives and underscores the vital importance of Indigenous voices in contemporary discourse.

Hayley's work has been prominently featured in major group and solo exhibitions locally and globally, including the National Gallery of Australia (Canberra), MCA Australia (Sydney), the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), Australian War Memorial (Canberra), Nasher Museum of Art Duke University (North Carolina, USA), Art Gallery of South Australia (Adelaide), Melbourne Museum (Melbourne), Fremantle Arts Centre (Fremantle), Heide Museum of Modern Art (Melbourne), Chau Chak Wing Museum (Sydney), Al Hamriyah Studios (Sharjah, UAE), Artspace Sydney (Sydney), UQ Art Museum (Brisbane), Gertrude Contemporary (Melbourne), SAMSTAG Museum (Adelaide), MUMA (Melbourne), Salamanca Arts Centre (Hobart), Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery (Broken Hill), Flinders Street Ballroom (Melbourne), Shepparton Art Museum (Shepparton), Ballarat Art Gallery (Ballarat), FUMA Gallery (Adelaide), ACE Open (Adelaide), The Substation (Melbourne), MAMA (Albury), and UNSW Gallery (Sydney). And has received significant commissions from prestigious institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia, Rising Festival, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), PHOTO2021: International Festival of Photography, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA Australia), and the International Ballarat Foto Biennale.

In 2021, Hayley presented her inaugural retrospective, 'There We Were All in One Place,' with curator Stella Rosa McDonald at UTS Gallery. This landmark exhibition toured Southeast Australia in 2022, earning acclaim for its innovative storytelling and affirmation of Southeast Aboriginal identity. The exhibition's catalogue received 'Highly Commended' recognition at the AAANZ Arts Writing and Publishing Awards, recognising excellence in art research and writing across Australia and New Zealand.

Hayley has received numerous respected awards and accolades, including the John and Margaret Baker Memorial Fellowship for the National Photography Prize, the Darebin Art Prize, and a Special Commendation from The Churchie National Emerging Art Prize. She has also been a finalist in prestigious national awards such as the Ramsay Art Prize at the Art Gallery of South Australia, UNSW’s John Fries Award, The Bowness Photography Prize, Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award, as well as international prizes including Venice’s Arte Laguna Prize, the Sovereign Asian Art Prize in Hong Kong, and the Vantage Point Sharjah in the UAE.

Her notable residencies include the DESA Artist-in-Residence in Ubud, Bali, the Gertrude Contemporary studio residency, an Artist-in-Residence at Monash University in Prato, Italy, a Photography Fellowship at the State Library of Victoria, and an Artist Residency at The Substation.

Hayley holds a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) and a Master of Fine Art from RMIT University, Melbourne. She is represented by Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, Australia, and Cassandra Bird, Sydney, Australia.