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Michelle Garnaut

2015
Dave Tacon

type C photograph on paper (sheet: 39.5 cm x 55.0 cm, image: 33.5 cm x 50.0 cm)

Michelle Garnaut AO studied at Monash University before travelling widely in the early 1980s, returning to Melbourne to complete catering qualifications at William Angliss College. In Hong Kong, she gained a job as second chef at Restaurant 97. Sensing the need for something in between cheap and cheerful and fussy and formal eating establishments, in 1989 she opened the M at the Fringe on Lower Albert Road in Hong Kong’s historic central district. Long-running, though now closed, it is credited with having been Hong Kong’s first independent fine-dining establishment. In 1999, she established M on the Bund in a then-unfashionable, run-down waterfront area of Shanghai. Garnaut is credited with leading the revitalisation of the Bund, which is now one of the world’s most glamorous eating and shopping strips. She opened the Glamour Bar in 2001; it closed in 2014, but she opened Glam in August 2015. M on the Bund and Glamour Bar were base venues for the Shanghai International Literary Festival, initiated by Garnaut in 2002 after Australian novelist Frank Moorehouse spoke on the topic of martinis in literature at M on the Bund. In 2009, she opened Capital M in Beijing’s Qianmen, overlooking Tiananmen Square. Her Capital Literary Festival began in Beijing 2011; but all her venues regularly offer cultural events including chamber music and talks. M at the Fringe is now closed, but Garnaut is on the lookout for a new Hong Kong location. Renowned for encouraging active participation by her staff in community projects, she has sponsored Hong Kong’s International Coastal Clean-up since 2004 and is currently involved in the Village People Project, which seeks to improve the lot of women in rural China through the creation of community bathhouses. Garnaut is often consulted on doing business in China. She was a judge for the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards for five years, and was Asia Jury President in 2011 and 2012.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2015
© Dave Tacon/Copyright Agency, 2024

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Dave Tacon (age 39 in 2015)

Michelle Garnaut AO (age 58 in 2015)

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

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