AGWA to celebrate iconic local artist Stormie Mills with major exhibition

Whether you’ve lived in Perth your whole life, or just popped by for a weekend visit, it’s almost certain you’ve laid your eyes on the work of Stormie Mills.

The Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) will host All the secrets are buried between the oceans and the mountains, Mills’ first solo exhibition at an Australian state gallery.

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Mills first stepped into the spotlight in 1994, becoming one of the first street artists to join an initiative against the State Government’s anti-graffiti campaign.

While street art was still struggling for recognition, Mills created a public mural at the Wellington Street freeway underpass, where it can still be seen today.

Mills’ works are recognised to explore dichotomous themes like isolation and connection, and tenderness and resilience, as well as the human experience.

“Stormie Mills has played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of Australian street art,” says AGWA Director Colin Walker.

“This exhibition recognises not only his artistic contribution, but the emotional depth and humanity embedded in his work.”

From living alone in New York at the age of 16, to squatting in an East Perth warehouse without power or water, Mills found stability through painting and creating.

“I started with the idea of secrets. For many years I worked on found objects, including drawers that had been thrown away. These were the places that I thought people would hide secrets,” said Stormie Mills.

“Then I started thinking about how we hold secrets, within the body. This links the idea of a skull as a commonality we all share,” Mills says.

“Although I believe that secrets manifest in the body, in the way we can move or hold ourselves, I wanted people to think more about their own secrets and about how they feel about what it is they hide and hold away from everyone else.”

All the secrets are buried between the oceans and the mountains opens at AGWA on Saturday, 1 August and runs until 8 November 2026.

Featured image: Frances Andrijich