'Tank Man' protestor, Tiananmen Square

China, 1989

Courtesy AP via AAP

Object On display

‘An unknown man stared down a column of tanks the morning after the Chinese government massacred pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square in 1989. His fate and identity remain unknown, but the moment – captured on film and smuggled to safety – has become a symbol of defiance.  

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Collection

Not in ACMI's collection

On display until

16 February 2031

ACMI: Gallery 1

Credits

creator

Jeff Widener

Production places
China
Production dates
1989

Appears in

Group of items

Spectacle

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Collection metadata

ACMI Identifier

P180629

Curatorial section

The Story of the Moving Image → Moving Minds → MM-01. Spectacle → MM-01-C01

Object Types

2D Object

Exhibition Prop

Photographic print/Pictorial

Materials

Graphic

Collected

337 times

Cite this work on Wikipedia

If you would like to cite this item, please use the following template: {{cite web |url=https://acmi.net.au/works/107530--graphic-tank-man-in-tiananmen-square-china-1989/ |title='Tank Man' protestor, Tiananmen Square |author=Australian Centre for the Moving Image |access-date=13 August 2026 |publisher=Australian Centre for the Moving Image}}