‘The Guru’ returns to UniBar after student-led push

A much-loved piece of UniBar history is finally back where it belongs. Untitled (The Guru), painted by Bill Cook in 1981, has been a UniBar icon for decades. Originally purchased by the Adelaide University Union after Cook’s exhibition in the Union Gallery (opened by former Premier Don Dunstan), the painting became a familiar sight for students grabbing a drink.

But when it was removed for conservation, people noticed—big time. A wave of nostalgia turned into a full-blown campaign to bring it back, with students even rocking singlets and t-shirts printed with the painting’s image. The message was clear: The Guru belonged in the UniBar.

When it finally returned students past and present raised their glasses in celebration. Maybe not the most radical protest in campus history, but definitely one of the most fun.

Huge thanks to Elizabeth Pascale from University Collections and Julian, the uni’s go-to art installer, for making it happen. Whether you’re an old-school UniBar regular or just seeing The Guru for the first time, it’s great to have this legend back on the wall.