Lisa Michl Ko-manggén (OAM)

Born: 24/01/1977
Lives/Works: Cairns
Clan/Language: Kokoberrin / Kokotharpal

Biography

“I am Ko-manggén. Pa la Nganduw Kedew (White Dingo Clan) of the Kokoberrin People, Staaten River, Cape York”. Lisa’s ancestral homelands, known as Pinnarinch, stretch from Mudpalangen to the mouth of the Staaten River area, encompassing the Barku, Nassau, and Lynd River regions in the central west coast of Cape York Peninsula.
The unique and remote landscape of Pinnarinch is home to several significant creation sites, including Ko-manggén, which translates to catfish in the Kokoberrin language. Lisa received her totem name from her great-grandfather, the most senior elder and lore keeper of the Kokoberrin community.
Lisa began her involvement with UMI Arts two decades ago and is recognised as one of the founding Board Members. With the guidance of Senior Elders who were instrumental in establishing the organisation, she remains dedicated to preserving their vision within its framework. Throughout her tenure at UMI Arts, Lisa has undertaken various roles, including Company Secretary, Public Officer, Business and Finance Manager, and Artistic Director for the past five years.
Lisa has served as a respected member of numerous esteemed panels, such as the National Indigenous Art Reference Group (NIAG), the National Indigenous Arts Code Advisory Panel (NIACA), the Queensland Indigenous Arts Export Agency (QIAMEA), the Cairns Regional Council Public Art Advisory Panel, the Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair Indigenous Reference Panel, UMI Arts and Kokoberrin Aboriginal Corporation.
Over the past 26 years, Lisa has exhibited her artwork in 17 solo exhibitions at prominent commercial galleries and over 80 group exhibitions nationally and internationally, including in Europe, the United States, the Pacific Islands, and the Caribbean, proudly representing Australia’s First Nations peoples.
Through her remarkable artworks, Lisa interprets and conveys the cultural lifestyle, language, stories and lore of her Kokoberrin people, showcasing her heritage and artistic vision.
Lisa Michl Ko-manggén was awarded the First Nations Artist Prize at the 2025 Blacktown City Art Prize in Sydney, and her artwork “Sour Yam” was also selected as a finalist in the 2025 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.