Biography
What I feel, I see.
I am an Amnesty International Human Rights Innovation Fund Grant Award recipient in 2010 for Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud photography project in Central Australia. I was a finalist in the William and Winfred Bowness Photography Prize in 2011 and 2012. My second spell of photography began in mid 90s. I have presented work in a number of solo exhibitions, selected group exhibitions and photo festivals in several countries and my work is featured in the Indigenous Australians permanent exhibition/installation at the Australian Museum. I chiefly explores social, environment, gender and indigenous people themes in my photography work. Photography is an integral part of my human rights activism. I have worked on assignments for a range of clients which include government and not for profit agencies. I live in Australia and works interstate and internationally. I am currently working on a longterm photography project, In the Outskirts of the Australian Dream focusing on the notion of shelter in relation to vulnerability and resilience featuring a large social housing estate.
Grants, awards and prizes
2012 A finalist in the William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize by the MGA Foundation
2012 A finalist in the Fisher's Ghost Art Prize
2011 A finalist in the William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize by the MGA Foundation
2011 A finalist in the Marrickville Contemporary Art Prize 2010 Amnesty International Human Rights Innovation Fund Grant
2009 A nominee to the Award for the Editorial Series at the New York Photo Awards 2009 (NYPHA’09)
2007 A nominee to the US Spider Award (professional category)
Solo exhibitions
2013 In the Outskirts of the Australian Dream, The Muse, Ultimo, Sydney (up coming)
2013 Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud, Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Cultural Centre, Tennant Creek (up coming)
2013 Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud, Queensland Centre for Photography, Brisbane (up coming)
2013 Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud, Manning Clark House, Canberra (currently showing)
2013 Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud, The Light Gallery, Centre for Creative Photography, Adelaide
2012 Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud, Christ Church Catherdral, Darwin
2012 Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud, Library, La Trobe University, Bundoora Campus, Melbourne
2012 Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud, Customs House, Sydney
2012 Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud, Pine Street Gallery, Sydney
2011 Stars Sky Trees Breeze, ATVP Art Inc., Sydney
2006 Song of the Unsung, Foyles Gallery, London
2004 Camera Sketches, Stockholm
Selected group exhibitions
2012 The Long and the Short of It, Projection, Feration Squre, Melbourne
2012 Metamorposes, Harold Peris Gallery, LIonel Wendt Art Centre, Colombo
2012 Finalists' exhibition - William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize, Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne
2011 Finalists' exhibition - William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize, Monash Gallery of Art, Melborune
2011 Contested Territory, ATVP Art Inc., Sydney
2010 My Clothline, Campbelltown Art Centre, Australia
2010 Intimate Space, Campbelltown Art Centre, Australia
2008 Urban Changes, Colombo
2008 Urban Changes, Banglore
2008 Urban Changes, Karachchi
2008 Urban Changes, Delhi
2008 Urban Changes, Pune
2007 Urban Changes, Mumbai
2007 My Oasis of Silence, the Goethe-Institut, Colombo
2006 Imagine Tropics, the Goethe-Institut, Colombo
2003 Tones of Black and Shades of White, the Indian Cultural Centre, Colombo
Festivals
2013 Head On Photo Festival, Sydney
2013 Obscura Photo Festival, Malaysia
2013 BIFB13, Ballarat
2012 Darwin Festival, Darwin
2012 Fisher's Ghost Festival, Australia
2012 HeadOn Photo Festival, Sydney
2012 FotoFreo, Perth
2012 Sustainable Living Festival, Melbourne
2009 Chobi Mela V International Festival of Photography, Bangladesh
2008 Singapore International Festival of Photography, Singapore
2008 Fisher’s Ghost Festival, Australia
Work presented in permanant exhibitions/installations
The State Library of New South Wasles, Sydney
Australian Museum, Sydney
- Indigenous Australians permanant exhibition/installation
Private Collections
Published in academic journals/specailised publications
2013 BURN Magazine
2012 Artlink : Disaster and Fortitude - December
2012 Metamorphoses : the Sri Lanka Issue, PIX Photography Qarterly - Volume 6
2008 “A Journey through Intimate Space”, South Asia Journal for Culture – Volume 2
Residencies/professional development
2012 Master Class and Mentoring Programme by David Alan Harvey
2007 The Urban Changes residency/project by the Goethe-Institut Mumbai, India
2007 Oasis of Silence residency/project by the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo and the Goethe-Institut Colombo, Sri Lanka
2006 Imagine Tropics residency/project by the Goethe-Institut Colombo, Sri Lanka
Formal education
Master of Science, University of Keele, UK