Tanja McMillan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Australian-New Zealand artist
Born
1982 (age 43–44)
Tanja Jade Thompson
1982 (age 43–44)
Maryborough, Australia
Knownforpainting, drawing, sculpture
Styletattoo style, graffiti, kimo-kawaii
SpouseTom McMillan (Tom Tom)
Tanja McMillan (Misery) | |
|---|---|
 McMillan in 2025 | |
| Born | Tanja Jade Thompson 1982 (age 43–44) Maryborough, Australia |
| Known for | painting, drawing, sculpture |
| Style | tattoo style, graffiti, kimo-kawaii |
| Spouse | Tom McMillan (Tom Tom) |
Tanja Jade McMillan (born Tanja Jade Thompson, also Tanja Jade, and Misery; 1982) is a graffiti artist and painter of Tahitian and Chinese descent[1] best known as Misery, based in Auckland, New Zealand.[2][3]
Selected solo exhibitions
McMillan was born in Maryborough, Australia. She started painting as Misery in 1997 at Auckland Metropolitan College, where she became friends with fellow student Elliot O'Donnell, best known as Askew, who given McMillan the name Misery.[2][1]
In 2010, McMillan temporarily abandoned the name Misery at age 28 when she felt the brand was consuming her[4] by ceremonially auctioning off the last of the Misery works at Webb's auction house in Auckland.[2]
McMillan has since reclaimed the name Misery and describes her style as kimo-kawaii, creepy and cute in Japanese.[3] Her husband is well known New Zealand tattoo artist Tom McMillan, best known as Tom Tom.[5]
There are two bronze sculptures named Twist and Thief by McMillan on Karangahape Road, commissioned by Auckland Council to be part of Auckland Council Art Collection in collaboration with John Oz.[6] McMillan have collaborated with many well known designers and brands, such as New Balance,[7] Blunt,[8] Bitra, Casio Baby-G, Telecom, Serato and Piaggio.[9]
McMillan has been shown extensively in New Zealand and internationally such as Berlin, Taiwan, Melbourne, Paris, Hawaii and Los Angeles.[10]
- 2025: Forbidden Fruits, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand[11]
- 2024: All Tomorrow's Parties, Outré Gallery, Fitzroy, Australia[12]
- 2023: Happy Valley, Outré Gallery, Fitzroy, Australia[13]
- 2021: Fountain of Flowers, 12 Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand[14]
- 2021: Tang Tang, Outré Gallery, Fitzroy, Australia[15]
- 2013: Misery: Momo, Ponsonby Central, Auckland, New Zealand[16]
- 2011: Momoka, Backwoods Gallery, Collingwood, Australia[17]
- 2010: Misery: Deceased Estate Auction, City Works Depot, Auckland, New Zealand[2]
- 2010: Misery, Shed 2, Auckland, New Zealand[18]
- 2009: Misery: The Heart of Misery, Plaything Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand[19]
- 2008: Misery: Holly Melancholy & The Night That Saved The Day, Webbs, Auckland, New Zealand[20]
- 2007: Misery: Mighty Monster Masquerade, St Kevin’s Arcade, New Zealand[21]
Selected group exhibitions
- 2025: Dreamland Awaits, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, United States[22]
- 2025: Aotearoa Art Fair, Bergman Gallery, Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland, New Zealand[23]
- 2024: Belonging, Stories of Contemporary New Zealand Asian Artists, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand[24]
- 2024: Aotearoa Art Fair, Bergman Gallery, Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland, New Zealand[25]
- 2023: Horizon, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand[26]
- 2023: A Place to Call Home - Contemporary New Zealand Asian Art, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand[27]
- 2023: Vanguard, Outré Gallery, Fitzroy Australia[13]
- 2022: Shiny Things, The Mercury Plaza, Auckland, New Zealand[28]
- 2022: Bunch, North Art Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand[29]
- 2021: The Most Dedicated: An Aotearoa Graffiti Story, Dowse Art Museum, Wellington, New Zealand[30]
- 2021: Group Exhibition, Outré Gallery, Fitzroy Australia[13]
- 2021: The Maxx Dose, Corbin Estate Art Centre, Auckland, New Zealand[31]
- 2020: Yokai! Yokai!, Outré Gallery, Melbourne Australia[13]
- 2020: Perspective - Women in Urban Art, Fiksate Gallery, Christchurch, New Zealand[32]
- 2015: The Self-Drawing Hand (La Main qui dessinait toute seule), Danysz Gallery, Paris, France[13]
- 2014: Pow Wow, Street Art Festival, Hawaii, United States[33]
- 2012: DabsMyla and Friends, Think Space Gallery, New York, United States[34]
References
- 1 2 "Misery/Tanja Jade". TMD CREW. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- 1 2 3 4 RUSSELL, NICOLA (2010-11-06). "She's moving on from Misery". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- 1 2 Newton, Katie (2018-08-09). "Kimo-kawaii: Where creepy and cute meet". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ RUSSELL, NICOLA (2010-11-02). "It's time to end Misery". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Bell, Kyle (2016-10-06). "Against the Grain: How Tom Tom Founded Sunset Tattoo from a Self-Made Accident". Concrete Playground. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Oz, Tanja McMillan, John. "Thief". Auckland Public Art. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Auckland artist Misery's 'New Balance'". Remix Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ FNZ (2019-07-22). "Blunt Umbrellas release covetable collaboration with Misery". FashioNZ. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Creative Mornings with Misery". Concrete Playground. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "WHAU RIVER – TANJA MCMILLAN (MISERY) - News". LynnMall. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Tanja McMillan at Bergman Gallery | Artsdiary 4358". artsdiary.co.nz. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
- ↑ "Tanja McMillan: All tomorrow's... | Exhibitions | MutualArt". www.outregallery.com. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Tanya McMillan (Misery)". MutualArt. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Fountain of Flowers by Tanja McMillan (Misery)". 12 Gallery. 2021-07-30. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Misery and her Tang Tang Ladies". Outré Gallery. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Showing at Ponsonby Central". Ponsonby News (03-05-2013): 132. May 2013.
- ↑ "Exhibitions". Backwoods Gallery. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Life lessons: Tanja Jade aka Misery". NZ Herald. 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Heart of Misery Exhibition Launches at Plaything Gallery". Designer Direction - Home of NZ Fashion. 2009-08-13. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ↑ "Misery's loves - Lifestyle News". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
- ↑ "Mighty Monster Masquerade". UnderTheRadarNZ. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
- ↑ "Dreamland awaits". Meer. 2025-04-25. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ↑ "Bergman at Aotearoa Art Fair". Artnow. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
- ↑ Mahajan, Praneeta (2024-07-12). "Artists to showcase Asian Heritage at Bergman Gallery". indiannewslink.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ↑ "Bergman Gallery | Aotearoa Art Fair 2024". Artnow. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ↑ "Horizon". Artnow. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Opening: A Place To Call Home". Artnow. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Woods, Reuben (2022-04-13). "Showtime!". Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "Exhibition: Daisy Chain Collective| Bunch - Auckland - Eventfinda". www.eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ↑ Museum, The Dowse Art (2023-03-20). "The Most Dedicated: An Aotearoa Graffiti Story". dowse.org.nz. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ "The Maxx Dose | Corban Estate Arts Centre". ceac.org.nz. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Woods, Reuben (2020-10-28). "Perspective: Women in Urban Art @ Fiksate Studio & Gallery". Retrieved 2023-11-10.
- ↑ Yoshino, Aaron K. (2020-03-05). "2020 Marks 10 Years of Pow! Wow!, the Now-Global Street-Art Festival That Originated in Hawai'i". Honolulu Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ↑ "Marvelous Expeditions". Thinkspace Projects. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
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