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Representation

James Makin Gallery 

info@jamesmakingallery.com

Melbourne, Australian

Scott Lawrie Gallery   

scott@scottlawrie.com

Auckland, New Zealand 

Artist Statment 

 

Ara Dolatian’s interdisciplinary practice explores the relationship between cultural landscapes and the natural ecosystem. His ceramic works are hybrid ecosystems which simultaneously resemble semi-functional apparatus, models of utopian cities and biological experiments. Dolatian’s work is also imbibed with numerous ideas centred upon conceptions of ‘the studio’ and ‘the laboratory’ as well as the conceptual domain of socio-environmental politics.

 

Visual interpretations of socio-cultural and technological environments, Dolatian’s work aims to anticipate future discourses of the humanities and sciences - art and science have long been engaged in exchanges of ideas and narrative structures. His work is an abstract visualisation of the evolving intersections and dialogues between the human and non-human: nature, biology and technology.

 

Ara Dolatian received a Bachelor of Fine Art (sculpture) from RMIT in 2012 and a Master of Social Science Environment and Planning in 2014. His interdisciplinary practice explores the relationships between cultural landscapes and the natural ecosystem. Dolatian has exhibited nationally and internationally. In 2021 he was a winner in the Incinerator Art Award, as well as receiving an online residency as a part of Craft Victoria’s Makers in Residence. In 2019 he was a finalist in both the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize and the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Awards. Dolatian has an upcoming residency with the ZK/U Center for Art and Urbanistics, Berlin.

Education 

 

2013-2014  Master of Social Science, Environment & Planning, RMIT University. 

2010-2012  Bachelor of Fine Arts – Sculpture, RMIT University. 

 

Solo Exhibitions

 

2023.  Nov, James Makin Gallery 

2022   Entities,  Scott Lawrie Gallery, Auckland 

2022   Mythos of the Island,  James Makin Gallery, Melbourne

2022   The Land Between Two Rivers - By NGV design week 

2021   Artefacts. June, Blindside. 

2020   Site With No Real Place  Jan at C3 Contemporary Art Space. 

2019   Heterotopia, Stockroom, Kyneton, Vic. 

2018   Narratives- Realties, fictionalising the present and contaminating the fantastical wilderness. Melbourne 

2017   Controlled Instabilities,  Contemporary Art Space, Montevideo, Uruguay.

2017   Progress and Passivity, Five Walls, Melbourne.  

2016   Hybrid Terrains, Black Centre AADK, Spain

2016   Reflection as Ideological Hallucination, Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne.

2016   Terrains, Seventh Gallery, Melbourne.  

2015   Navigating With Uncertainty, C3 Contemporary art space. 

2012   Frame of Reference, RMIT Graduation Exhibition.

2011   Perceptual, First Site Gallery, Melbourne

 

 

 

Selected Group  -  Curated Exhibitions

 

2023 Melbourne Now, National Gallery of Victoria 

2022 Amazon / Amazon, Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney 

2022 Sensations, Scott Lawrie Gallery, Auckland 

2022 Conners Conners, Melbourne 

2022 Alter, Divisions Gallery, Melbourne 

2022 Summer New, James Makin Gallery 

2021 Darlings, group exhibition, Curatorial +Co, Sydney

2021 Notfair Art Fair, Melbourne 

2021  Stockroom, group exhibition

2020  Firstdraft, Online Auction, Sydney. 

2019  Tiny World Reunion, group exhibition, curated by the Wandering Room. Melbourne

2019  28 Beasts, group exhibition

2018   Utopian Tongues, Seventh Gallery, curated by Jake Treacy, Melbourne. 

2018    In Motion 2018: Rhythm, presented by AIRspace Projects, Sydney.

2018   Biotic & Apparatus, Stanthorpe Regional Gallery, QLD. 

2017   Art in Soil,  POP Gallery,  Brisbane 

2017   Waves, curated by Charlotte Cornish, The Honeymoon Suite, Melbourne. 

2017   Notfair, Melbourne

2017   Anthropoetics of space, Stockroom, Kyneton.

2017  thing in itself // das Ding an sich ,  curated by Elyse Goldfinch, Wellington St Project, Sydney. 

2017  Stockroom Travels Cremorne Opening, curated group show. 

2016   Imagined Worlds, curated by Kent Wilson, Town Hall Gallery Melbourne

2015   Moreland Summer Show, Science Friction, Counihan Gallery Brunswick, curated group Exhibition

2015   Convergence, Kings Artist-Run, Melbourne.

2015   The Lost One's Gallery, curated group Exhibition, Ballarat

2015   Freak of Nature, curated group exhibition at Mailbox. 

2014   Assemblages, curated group exhibition at Manningham Art Gallery, Melbourne.

2013   Territories, First Site Gallery, Melbourne. 

2012   Crème, curated group exhibition at RMIT School of Art Gallery, Melbourne.

2011   Utopian Slumps, group show, Melbourne.

2011   Living Space 2.  Platform Art Spaces, Melbourne

 

Prizes  -  Grants  -  Commissions  -  Residencies 

2022 Finalist, Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Sydney 

2022 Arts Projects For Individuals and Groups, Australian Council for the Arts 

2022 Finalist, Lake Art Prize, NSW  

2021 Incinerator Art Award -  Winner.  

2021 Creative Victoria Grant 

2021 Craft Victoria, Makers in Residence, online Residency.

2020 Covid-19 Quick Response Arts Grant -  City of Melbourne. 

2020 - 2024 City Of Melbourne, external assessor for Council’s funding programs.

2019 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize. 

2019 Career Development Grant, Australia Council for the Arts. 

2019 Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Awards.  

2017 Art in Soil, Queensland Branch of Soil Science Australia,  residency & commission. Brisbane.

2017 Exhibition development grant,  Contemporary Art Space, Uruguay, Montevideo.

2017 Highly Commended, Notfair 2017.

2016  Centro Negra,  AADK Spain, Residency.

2016  Spring Fashion week, installation, commission.

2015  Navigating with Uncertainty, Darebin Art Prize Finalist. 

2015  ArtStart Career Development Funding Recipient. Australia Council for the Arts

2015  Nomad, Commission for Beaumaris Library.

2014  Assemblages, Toyota Art Prize Finalist.

2013  Territories, The Substation Contemporary Art Prize Finalist. 

2013  Nomad, Commission for Midsumma Festival and Moreland City Council

2012  RMIT University School of Art Collection.

           Private collections and commissions.

 

 

 

 

 

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