About 1 — Michael James Henderson

My name is Michael James Henderson.

My work emerges from my experiences and the connection I have to the people and communities around me.

I consider that my creative work is less recognisable for style, and more for the stories I tell about identity, sorrow and hope, and a longing for people and communities to thrive.

I am inspired by so much in our beautiful world. Especially by my precious family, the array of amazing people in my life, creatives like Nick Cave, Florence Welch, and William Kentridge, living in the breathtaking lutruwita / Tasmania, and the life of Jesus.

I consider myself a Social Creative.

Shorelines (2018) was an art installation I created working with the Tasmanian Government and the State RSL to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of World War 1. I create 15,000 abstracted versions of the Gallipoli life boats and laid them out across the Parliament House lawns, like waves approaching a shore, to symbolise all the men and women who served in the conflict.

Breathe, Shine and Seek to Mend (2019) was an art installation created with Hobart Baptist Church and exhibited during the Dark Mofo Festival to share values between the two organisations. A 6m high crucifix wrapped in hessian was installed in the darkened auditorium of the church. The work lamented how religious institutions have used and covered up Jesus, while also inviting people to uncover and discover who Jesus is for them.

How Lonely Lies This Land, Once So Full Of People was a 3 part sculpture series exhibited across 3 separate church venues in Hobart in June 2022. The work told stories of sorrow and hope about the relationship between our Tasmanian Aboriginal Communities and the Tasmanian Non-Indigenous Communities. This work was also created out of a written Non-Indigenous response to the “Uluṟu Statement from the Heart”, which I proposed in 2019, then drafted in 2020 with incredible leaders, including then Governor Kate Warner and the Lord Mayor of Hobart Anna Reynolds, and many others from across Tasmania, and formally presented to the Tasmanian Government in 2021. Idenity, sorrow and hope, and loning to see communities thrive.

My work is held in private and public collections. It was an honour to be a finalist in the 66th Blake Prize (2021).

I have given many talks across Australia, including addressing the NSW Parliament on behalf of Screen NSW (2001), at the Sydney University Conference on Art and Spiritually (2003), and recently to the Faith and the Arts Summer School, Tasmania (2022).

In 2024 I have a number of creative works being exhibited, again collaborating with some beautiful people and communities, including a new leadership program for Tweens (9-12 year olds).

Selected Professional Activities

2023-Present Creatives Development, Greater Things International, Sydney.

2022-Present Leadership Development in Innovation, Project Nexus, Adelaide

2020-Present Artist-in-Residence, Hobart Baptist Church

2020/21 Blue Cow Theatre, Cowshed Play Development Program

2018-Present Leadership and Creatives Development, Tasmanian Baptist Union

2014 Arteles Creative Centre, Writing Residency, Haukijärvi, Finland

2000 Addressed NSW Parliament House on behalf of the NSW Film and Television Office

2000 Speaker at the Art and Spirituality Conference, Sydney University, Sydney

1999 Guest Lecturer on Art and Spirituality, Morling Baptist College, NSW

Selected Works and Exhibitions

2023 The Seed of Life, Weighed Down, art installation, 11m wide, 2.4m high, with three wrapped figures in the centre. Installed in Hobart Baptist Church, June.

2023 Traverse III, art installation, 70m long path, installed in Risdon Prison, Tasmania, for the Men’s Health Day in May.

2023 Traverse Number II, an art installation, 140m long path, creating a long and winding path, speaking of the journey or trauma and hope. To be installed at C3 South Hobart lawn in March and April.

2022 How lonely lies this Land, Once so full of People, a 3 piece sculpture series, each sculpture 5m high, by 2.4m square. Installed in 3 separate locations across Hobart.

2021 Cosmos of Origin, Art Installation, exhibited at C3 Church Hobart. A 3m Earth and Sun installed in a pitch black room.

2021 Breath, Shine and Seek to Mend, Number 2. A series of 27 paintings exhibited at Hobart Baptist Church.

2021 66th Blake Prize Finalist, Graffiti 1, painting.

2020 Advent Art Installation, Lifeway Church, Devonport.

2020 Recapturing Wonder: A Faith Memoir, a 20 episode podcast about my faith journey of losing faith and recapturing it through wonder.

2020 Easter Murals, Hobart Baptist Church, 5m tall x 2m wide

2019 Breathe, Shine and Seek to Mend, Number 1, art installation, exhibited in Hobart Baptist Church. A 5m high wrapped crucifix, installed in the auditorium.

2019 Reflections on the Christ, art installation, exhibited in Hobart and Wynyard.

2018 Shorelines art installation, Tasmanian Parliament House lawn, Hobart. An installation for the Centenary of Anzac, Tasmanian Government. 15,000 small boats installed on the lawn for Remembrance Day, November 2018.

2018 Finalist in the Northern Beaches Art Prize, Sydney

2018 Finalist in the Little Things Art Prize, Saint Cloche Gallery, Paddington

2017 Major solo exhibition of the Untitled Series, showcasing 16 paintings (25m long) and 16 drawings (22m long), Forest High School Hall.

2017 Adelaide Fringe Festival, Untitled Series Drawings, in collaboration with the Adelaide Catholic Archdiocese, installation in the St Xavier’s Cathedral

2016 Exhibition of Untitled Series 16 drawings (22m long), Taree Baptist Church, NSW

2015 The mess of life art installation, 8 interactive works, Edwardstown Baptist Church, Adelaide, South Australia

2014 The Greatest Weapon in the World, small object installation.

2014 Wrapped Jesus, art installation, 14m by 9m, Frenchs Forest Baptist Church, NSW

2011 Highly Commended, Mallacoota Short Story Prize (VIC)

2001 Life After Birth shown on SBS Television.

2000 Wrote, Directed and Animated two animations, The View From the Sill (2min) and Life After Birth (4min)

1999 Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, NSW, Obelisk to Human Thought, sculpture using rock, brick, concrete and steel

1999 Highly Commended, Ben Bulben Poetry Prize, VIC