Artist Michael Mullins was once arrested on Australia Day … in the name of art.
Now, more than 30 years on, his dedication to the theatre of life has earned the Craigieburn resident a medal in Australia Day honours.
Mr Mullins was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia [OAM] on January 25 for services to performing arts.
“It’s a great honour,” he said. “It’s really nice that this has come from my peers, and it’s very special that they wanted to recognise me in this way.”
He has played a significant role as a creative artist since the 1970s, building an innovative and diverse body of work.
He gained recognition through various projects as a curator, creative manager, performer and public speaker.
But it was an anti-colonialist live performance, titled Lone Anzac, staged outside a Sydney court house in 1981, that landed him in hot water.
That day, Mr Mullins stood silently, dressed in a WWI military uniform, an orange Diggers hat, his face shrouded and carrying his version of the ‘Australian flag’ – which was sky blue and devoid of the British national emblem, the Union Jack.
Mr Mullins, using the alias ‘No-one’, was arrested and charged with behaviour likely to cause serious alarm or affront.
He carried on his performance when he appeared before a magistrate. The charges were dropped.
“It’s funny that 35 years ago I was arrested for a pro-republican statement piece that I performed and now, as we celebrate Australia Day, everyone is talking about how we should be a republic,” Mr Mullins said.
“There is a lot more talk of it today than there was back then. I still hold the same views today as I did back then,” he said. “I’m a very strong republican and I think we should have an Australian head of state, and I still believe that the Union Jack should be removed from our flag.
“We will never become a mature nation until we accept all people as equals in this country, and until we become a republic.”
His achievements include founding the Performance Space at Redfern in Sydney, producing the $4.5 million Expo 88 Parades at Brisbane, and producing New Millennium Eve celebrations at the Sydney Opera House in 1999.
More recently, he curated the Light Fantastic exhibition at the museum of Brisbane and spoke at the Festival of Live Art in 2014.
More details: www.mikemullins.com.au
