Clinton Hayden (b. 1978, Orange, NSW) a Blak queer contemporary artist and writer based in Naarm/Melbourne, Victoria, is a proud Wiradjuri man with European ancestry. Born in 1978 in Orange, New South Wales, his experiences growing up as a mixed-race queer person in 1980s and 90s Australia have profoundly shaped his identity and artistic practice.
Hayden holds a Bachelor of Arts (Visual) from the Australian National University School of Art, a Master of Fine Art with Distinction from RMIT School of Art, and a Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri Language, Culture, and Heritage from Charles Sturt University. He is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Research.
His multidisciplinary practice spans photography, AI image creation, print media, drawing, and bricolage. Hayden explores themes of identity, belonging, and cultural continuity, with a focus on preserving Wiradjuri language and engaging with Blak Queer Futurism.
Central to his work is marra-marra (“making and creating”), a principle that guides his intentional, thoughtful approach to creation. Whether working with AI-generated imagery, Polaroids, or traditional printmaking and drawing techniques, Hayden bridges the past, present, and future in his practice.
The line, a recurring motif in Wiradjuri art, plays an essential role in his work. Representing identity, cultural memory, and survival, the line is drawn onto printed images, layering ancestral knowledge with contemporary expression. This act of drawing transforms both digital and physical prints into vessels for cultural transmission.
Through Polaroids and AI, Hayden connects to the concept of Everywhen, using these mediums as tools for time travel. Polaroids serve as tangible artifacts that transcend linear time, creating a space where Aboriginal queer men are visible and celebrated in histories where they have often been erased. AI allows Hayden to speculate on future possibilities, challenging temporal boundaries and offering radical reimaginings of Aboriginal queer identities.
Hayden’s work resists colonial erasure and affirms the resilience of Wiradjuri culture by blending traditional motifs with modern technologies. This fusion highlights that culture is dynamic and evolving. Through his art, he reclaims cultural space, challenges colonial narratives, and celebrates the vibrancy of Wiradjuri heritage.
In his practice, Hayden honours cultural knowledge while acknowledging the ongoing transformation of his heritage, leaving room for future generations to interpret and build upon these ideas.
Through his work, Hayden reimagines both past and future, asserting the sovereignty of his cultural heritage and queer identity. His practice integrates ancestral knowledge with contemporary spaces, advocating for the recognition and respect of Wiradjuri and Aboriginal queer identities in both art and society.
Hayden’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at Beers London (UK), Strange Neighbour (AU), and Modern Art Oxford (UK).
Solo Exhibitions
2024 mudyigalang-gu ngurambang-gu, Latrobe Regional Gallery, Morwell, AU
2020 Idle Hours, Club Noir Gallery, Melbourne, AU
2015 Objects for Rebels & Lovers, Beers London, UK
2012 Dasein, ANU School of Art, Canberra, AU
2010 New Masculinities, L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, Melbourne, AU
Group Exhibitions
2024 NotFair Foundation: ALCHEMY, NotFair Artfair, Melbourne, AU
2017 75 Works on Paper, Beers London, UK
2016 Romance Died, Romantically, Strange Neighbour, Melbourne, AU
2015 SEX, Strange Neighbour, Melbourne, AU
2012 Mistaken Identities, Modern Art Oxford, UK
Residencies
2017 Berlin Art Institute, Berlin, Germany
2013 Schuldenberg Foundation, London, UK
Education
2025 Graduate Certificate in Research, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, AU
2022–23 Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri Language, Culture, and Heritage,
Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, AU
2010–11 Master of Fine Art with Distinction, RMIT School of Art, Melbourne, AU
1997–2002 Bachelor of Arts (Visual), ANU School of Art, Canberra, AU
Publications
2024 “Survivance: How can mob protect cultural narratives in our arts and practices?” IndigenousX
2024 “Latrobe Regional Gallery in hot water over treatment of Blak queer artist,” ArtsHub
For a comprehensive list of exhibitions, publications, and other projects,
please get in touch!