Artist Michael Kelly's younger sister was born with intellectual disabilities in the 1950s, and went into care. The family lost touch with her until Michael decided it was time to find her again.

Michael Kelly has been an artist all his life. 

When he was a young boy living in Brisbane, his younger sister was born with intellectual disabilities. She was institutionalised and the family eventually lost contact with her.

That severed connection was a wound for the whole family, and followed Michael where he went.

Over the years he’s lived in family squats, stayed in a decommissioned mental asylum, and in a van.

Eventually he made his way to art school, where everything fell into place.

All this time, he’s kept meticulous sketchbooks as a way to keep track of his artwork, dreams, ideas and sketches of a changing world. And his path back to his sister.

Further information

Michael Kelly has an retrospective exhibition at the Frances Keevil Gallery in Double Bay, running from 7 August to 25 August.

You can also see a selection of Michael's sketchbooks in the State Library's Amaze Gallery, until 1 December 2024. Learn more about that exhibition here.

To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.