Michael Coyne (photographer)
Michael Coyne (born 1945)[1] is an Australian photojournalist. He has traveled extensively and photographed subjects including conflict, refugees and indigenous communities. Coyne's work is held in the collections of the National Gallery of Victoria,[1] Australian War Memorial[2] and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.[3] In 2001, he received the Centenary Medal from the Australian Government.[4]
![](../I/Michael_image.jpg.webp)
Photojournalism
![](../I/Michael_Coyne%252C_far_left.jpg.webp)
In 1985, Coyne was on assignment in post revolutionary Iran.[5] News Ltd journalist Suzanne Clarke wrote that "Coyne says he is not drawn to war seeking adventure and adrenalin. "I am more interested in the people. I am not interested in the soldiers . . . but in how the people are coping.""[6]
Academia
He obtained his doctorate through publication, "A Life in Documentary Practice".[7]
He is a lecturer and mentor at Australia's Photography Studies College,[8] and previously was granted the title of adjunct professor at RMIT in Melbourne in 2003.[9]
Plays about Coyne
Coyne's life has been documented in writer Graeme Pitts' plays, Tour of Duty and Second Spring – a Letter To My Daughter, which explore some of the tensions and apprehensions experienced by him in relation to his work as a photojournalist.
Publications
Books by Coyne
![Front cover of Village: Hearing the Grass Grow. Includes the title and author name over an image of an Italian farmer singing to one of his hens.](../I/Signature_Village_Book_Cover(30508).jpg.webp)
- Coyne, Michael (1980). The Oz factor: Whoʼs doing what in Australia. Dove. ISBN 9780859241472.
- Coyne, Michael; Valenta, Tom (1992). A world of Australians. Brunswick, Vic: David Lovell. ISBN 978-1-86355-033-8.
- Coyne, Michael (1997). Second spring: the regeneration of the Jesuits. Aurora. ISBN 1-876227-01-X.
- Tour of Duty - East Timor. Melbourne: Australia-East Timor Association, 2002. With an essay by Graham Pitts. ISBN 0-9752450-2-3.
- Coyne, Michael (2005). People Photography - A guide to taking better pictures. Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781740595414.
- No Cheap Shots. 2006.[10]
- Coyne, Michael (2006). Michael Coyne / [text & photographs Michael Coyne.] WriteLight. ISBN 0975245074.
- Coyne, Michael (2007). Numurkah, lakes and roses. McKenzie. ISBN 9780980386509.
- Coyne, Michael (2023). Village: Hearing The Grass Grow. ISBN 9780646859002.
Books with one other
- Langtree, Christine (2006). How to be a Child. Melbourne University Press. ISBN 9780522853070.
Books with contributions by Coyne
- The Jew called Jesus
- Leamen, Bob (1986). Armageddon : doomsday in our lifetime?. Greenhouse. ISBN 0864360363.
- Smolan, Rick; Cohen, David; Smolan, Leslie (1986). A Day in the life of America. Collins. ISBN 9780002177054. OCLC 13823880.[11]
- War – A South Collection #1 (T&G)
- Browne, Rick (1995). Planet Vegas. Collins. ISBN 978-0002251204.[12]
Awards
- 2001: Centenary Medal from the Australian Government in recognition of his contribution to "Australian society and photography"[4]
Collections
Coyne's work is held in the following permanent collections:
- National Gallery of Victoria: seven of Coyne's Iran images[1]
- Australian War Memorial: images from Coyne's Iran project[2][13][14]
- Monash Gallery of Art[15]
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston: 1 print (as of 18 April 2023)[3]
Exhibitions
- Mont Blanc Gallery, Hong Kong, 2001. The exhibition also include a lecture on photjournalism and a performance of "Second Spring".[16]
- The Daylesford Foto Biennelle, 2005, featured 30 of Coyne's images, witrh more than 100 also being presented on screen.[17]
- New Guinea on Mobile, 2013[18]
- Villages – Hearing the Grass Grow, Tafe Sydney Institute of Photography, 2012[19]
- Insiders & outsiders, Alison Stieven-Taylor, Brian Cassey, Mouneb Taim, Giles Clarke, 2022[20]
- Paper Tigers, Delmar Gallery, Victoria Street, Ashfield NSW, Australia, 2022[21]
References
- "Artists | NGV". National Gallery of Victoria. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
- "Rehabilitation centre for wounded Basij (volunteer soldiers) of the Iran-Iraq war". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- "Works - Michael Coyne - People - The MFAH Collections". emuseum.mfah.org. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
- "Mr Michael Thomas Coyne". It's an Honour. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
- McGuinness, Jan (1986-02-08). "Images of Iran". The Age. pp. 139–140. ProQuest 2521198588.
- Clarke, S. (2010-05-24). "Shooting the real War". The Courier-Mail. ProQuest 312409034.
- Coyne, Michael (2008). [Doctor of Philosophy by publication submission] (Thesis).
- "Our Lecturers – Dr. Michael Coyne". Photography Studies College. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
- Shaping the Future: Annual Report 2008 (PDF). RMIT University. 2009. p. 43. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
- Shipton, Keith (2006). "No Cheap Shots". Eureka Street. 16: 32–33 – via University of Queensland.
- Schinker, Nick (1986). "This Friday Is the Day America Gets Its Picture Taken". Omaha World - Herald. p. 1. ProQuest 401445077.
- Whitely, J (1995-11-28). "A different world". Las Vegas Review. ProQuest 259990474.
- "Tour of duty : photographic essay / by Michael Coyne ; essay by Graham Pitts". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- Reid, Chris (11 October 2006). "The usual suspects". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- "Nurmurkah, Lakes and Roses". maph.org.au. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- "Seeking truth". South China Morning Post. 2001-01-17. ProQuest 2420394383.
- Gill, H (2005-05-30). "Voice of the Victims". Herald Sun. ProQuest 360644871.
- "New Guinea on Mobile". Head On Photo Festival. 10 June 2013.
- "TAFE Sydney Institute of Photography The Muse, Villages – Hearing the Grass Grow". Head On Photo Festival. 7 May 2012.
- "insiders and outsiders". Head On Photo Festival. 6 November 2022.
- "Paper Tigers: exhibition opening". Head On Photo Festival. 12 November 2022.
External links
- Official website
- CQ reports 1986 refer to Coyne's National Geographic work in Iran