Daniel Boyd draws on his heritage as a Kudjala, Ghungalu, Wangerriburra, Wakka Wakka, Gubbi Gubbi, Kuku Yalanji, Yuggera and Bundjalung man from North Queensland and North Pentecost Island in Vanuatu. Traversing an archaeology of lost and suppressed histories, Boyd reinterprets artistic and archival material across art, science, history and geography in order to challenge Eurocentric perspectives and romanticised notions that dominate the historical canon. His work acknowledges the multitude of collective, cultural and personal memories at the core of historical imagery, and seeks to create a context for a diaspora of meaning to exist.
Considered one of Australia’s leading artists, Boyd has been exhibiting nationally and internationally since 2005. Recent solo exhibitions include Finnegans Wake, Kukje Gallery, Seoul (2025); DANIEL BOYD, Oscaar Mouligne, Kyoto, Japan (2025); Dream Time, Marian Goodman, Paris (2024), Dreamland, Marian Goodman, New York (2024), RAINBOW SERPENT (VERSION), Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin and Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia (2023); and a major retrospective exhibition Treasure Island, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney (2022). Recent biennales and group exhibitions include Tarrawarra International 2026: System Release, Tarrawarra Museum of Art, Melbourne (2026); Art Basel Hong Kong, with STATION, Hong Kong (2026); Kind of Paradise, Museum Rietberg, Zurich, Switzerland (2026); Casting a Glance: Dancing with Smithson, Marian Goodman Gallery, Los Angeles (2025); to carry, Sharjah Biennial, United Arab Emirates (2025); Bonna, Dhaka Art Summit, Dhaka, Bangladesh (2023); Kathmandu Triennale 2077, Kathmandu, Nepal, curated by Cosmin Costinas (2022); UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul (2021-22); Divided Worlds, Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art, Art Gallery of South Australia (2018); Mondialité, Boghossian Foundation, Villa Empain, Brussels, curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist & Asad Raza (2017); The future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed, 20th Biennale of Sydney, curated by Stephanie Rosenthal (2016) and All the World's Futures, the 56th Venice Biennale (2015), curated by Okwui Enwezor. Boyd was a finalist in the Archibald Prize (2022) and the recipient of the Bulgari Art Award (2014).
His works are featured in collections nationally and internationally including the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States, Kadist Collection, Paris,France and Samdani Art Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
TarraWarra International 2026: System Release
2026
TarraWarra Museum of Art
installation view
Photo: Andrew Curtis
Sandpiper Dance
2020
STATION, Melbourne
installation view
RAINBOW SERPENT (VERSION)
2023
Gropius Bau, Berlin
installation view
Photo: Luca Girardini
For our Country – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial
2018
Australian War Memorial, Canberra
installation view
Untitled (BDACB)
2023
oil, acrylic, archival glue and charcoal on canvas
141.0 × 110.0 cm
Macquarie Bank Commission
2014
Macquarie Bank, Sydney
installation view
Untitled (IATPIP)
2021
oil, pencil, acrylic and archival glue on decommissioned Natural History Museum, London, skull box
55.0 × 82.0 cm
RAINBOW SERPENT (VERSION)
2023
Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane
installation view
Untitled (TGRTOPIADL)
2021
oil, acrylic and archival glue on canvas
198.0 × 245.0 cm
Untitled (24° 10’0.012’’ N 90°25’0.011’’E)
2023
Dhaka Art Summit, Bangladesh
installation view
Photo: Foysal Mahamood
Untitled (FTDITH)
2025
oil, archival glue, screen print on canvas
91.5 × 61.0 cm
RAINBOW SERPENT (VERSION)
2023
Gropius Bau, Berlin
installation view
Photo: Luca Girardini
Untitled (WAP),
2025
oil, pastel, archival glue, screen print on canvas
15.0 × 10.5 cm
Untitled (LW)
2017-18
oil, charcoal and archival glue on paper
111.0 × 306.0 cm (polyptych)
UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA
2022
Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), South Korea
installation view
Sandpiper Dance
2020
oil, acrylic and archival glue on canvas
245.0 × 396.0 cm
Treasure Island
2022 - 2023
Art Gallery of New South Whales
installation view
Photo: Jenni Carter
Untitled (IAEMTC)
2025
oil, pastel and archival glue on paper mounted to canvas
125.0 × 194.0 cm
Treasure Island
2022 - 2023
Art Gallery of New South Wales
installation view
Photo: Jenni Carter
Untitled (OBD)
2020
oil, acrylic, charcoal and archival glue on canvas
213.0 × 198.0 cm
Untitled (ToVR)
2017-18
oil, charcoal, pastel, pencil and archival glue on canvas
201.0 × 450.0 cm
DO WE DREAM UNDER THE SAME SKY
2022
Okayama Summit, Japan
installation view
Naarm / Melbourne
9 Ellis Street
South Yarra, Victoria 3141
Australia
+61 3 9826 2470
Gadigal / Sydney
91 Campbell Street
Surry Hills, New South Wales 2010
Australia
+61 2 9055 4688
