Trying to define Joanne Saad (b.1969) under the many awkward art labels such as photographer, public artist, media artist, photomedia artist, photo artist, video artist, teacher, art educator, community cultural development (CCD) practitioner, commercial photographer, multi-media artist, community collaborator, and muralist is a familiar post-modernist pluralist territory. The struggle by theorist and critics to label Joanne’s practice within the boundaries of art dissolves, as she constructs a process of personnel and emotional engagements with various peoples. The key concern for Joanne in her processes is the issue of what remains from generation to generation.
To understand the generational residue, Joanne uses a multiple of art and cultural disciplines including aesthetics, cultural studies and visual culture. She uses these disciplines as tools to create new conversations between her and the social groups she needs to examine. Joanne mostly seeks their involvement as protagonists, rather than subjects in the creation of her work. This is where her innovations lie, in the actual conversation between these social groups.
The very act of social engagement implies a tried and tested approach. Over the last 20 years of artistic practice, Joanne has constructed new architecture with her social groups. In these many constructions are the complexity of different ideas, values and practises. Her behaviour in these engagements is democratic. She applies her democracy with a high level of empathy and equity.
Kon Gouriotis
Born in Sydney, Australia she has been commissioned for several major public art works throughout Sydney and a recipient of awards and grants, including Projects with Public Outcome Community Partnerships Australia Council for the Arts 2011, Visual Arts New Work Australia Council for the Arts 2009, Winner Photographic Award Fishers Ghost Art Award 2008, Winner of the Art and About Sydney Life photographic competition 2006, Winner of Wollongong City Gallery Inaugural Portrait Prize in 2004, Arts NSW Western Sydney fellowship in 2003. She was a finalist in the Helen Lempriere Travelling Art Scholarship in 2000 and 2007, Blake Art Prize in 2007 and Fishers Ghost Art Award in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014.
EDUCATION
Bachelor Fine Arts I College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales
Bachelor Art Education I College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
I Want to Know What Love Is I Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
Garage Days I Wollongong City Gallery
A Show about Joe I Liverpool Regional Museum Sydney
DE-Lights of Cultural Transition I Fairfield Main Streets Sydney
Remember My Name I Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Sydney
Greeting from Southbeach I Wollongong City Gallery
GROUP EXHIBITIONS SELECTED
Family Portraits BANKSTOWN: LIVE Urban Theatre Projects I Sydney Festival
Uncovered; Hidden Pleasures of the Everyday I Blacktown Arts Centre
Fishers Ghost Art Award I Campbelltown Arts Centre Sydney
Generations I Wollongong City Gallery
Highrise I Site specific video outdoor installation Auburn Central
Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award I Gold Coast City Art Gallery Queensland
Fishers Ghost Art Award I Campbelltown Arts Centre Sydney
William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize I Monash Gallery of Art Melbourne
Missing the Bus to David Jones I Performance Space and Campbelltown City Gallery Sydney
Make History Photographic Competition I Revel Gallery Milan Italy
Moran Photographic Prize Touring Exhibition
Fishers Ghost Art Award I Campbelltown Arts Centre Sydney
Moran Photographic Prize I State Library of NSW Sydney
Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award I Gold Coast City Art Gallery Queensland
Always in the Sun I Parramatta Artists Studio Sydney
Fishers Ghost Art Award I Campbelltown City Gallery Sydney
Sydney Life- Art and About Festival I Hyde Park Sydney
Helen Lempriere Travelling Art Scholarship I Artspace Sydney
Blake Prize I National Art School Gallery Sydney
City of Hobart Art Prize 07 I Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Hazelhurst Art Award I Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre Sydney
Olive Cotton Award for Photographic Portraits I Tweed River Art Gallery
Western Front- Histories, Memories and other Territories I Fairfield Gallery and Museum Sydney
Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award I Gold Coast City Art Gallery Queensland
Sydney Life Art and About Festival I Hyde Park Sydney
Fishers Ghost Art Award Prize I Campbelltown City Gallery Sydney
Shoot The Chef I Art Gallery of NSW Sydney
Wollongong City Gallery Portrait Prize I Wollongong City Gallery
I Live Here…Stories of Cabramatta I Shop front Cabramatta l Fairfield Museum Sydney
Wollongong City Gallery Portrait Prize I Wollongong City Gallery
Josephine Ulrick National Photography Prize I Tweed River Art Gallery
Josephine Ulrick National Photography Prize I Tweed River Art Gallery
East of Somewhere I Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Sydney
Arab Film Festival I Roxy Theatre Parramatta Sydney
Local Knowledge I Wollongong City Art Gallery
Hellen Lempriere Travelling Art Scholarship I Art Space Sydney
Messengers from the West I Art Space Sydney
Collections I Wollongong City Gallery
Messengers from the West I First Draft Sydney
Art Experimenta I Channel 31
Cars and Culture: Our Driving Passion I Powerhouse Museum Sydney
Arabmade I Casula Powerhouse Sydney
A Tapestry I Wollongong City Gallery l Bathurst Regional Gallery l Adelaide Festival Hall
AWARDS
Winner Photographic Award Fishers Ghost Art Award
Winner Cultural Infrastructure for Public Art I Local Government Cultural Awards 08
Winner Art and About Sydney Life photographic competition
Inaugural Winner Wollongong City Gallery Portrait Prize
GRANTS
Projects with Public Outcome I Community Partnerships Australia Council for the Arts
Marketing Grant I Arts NAVA
New Works Grant I Visual Arts Board Australia Council for the Arts
Western Sydney Fellowship I NSW Arts
[email protected] I CCDF Australia Council for the Arts
Messengers from the West I NSW Arts and Auburn Community Development Network
A Tapestry Presentation & Promotion I NSW Arts and Illawarra Ethnic Communities Council
A Tapestry I Visual Arts Funding NSW Arts and Australian Multicultural Fund
PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONS
Potts Hill Seating I Marla Guppy and Associates
Love Lane Blacktown City Laneway I Blacktown City Council
Mt Druitt Swimming Pool Centre Mosaic Mural I Blacktown City Council
Fred Kelly Place Five Dock I Canada Bay Council
Yagoona Town Centre Glass Panel Fence I Bankstown City Council Sydney
Lisbon Street Park Redevelopment of Parks Program I Fairfield City Council Sydney
Contemporary Greenacre I Greenacre Town Centre Bankstown City Council Sydney
Our Dream Warwick Farm I Liverpool City Council Sydney
Faces of Bankstown I Bankstown City Council Sydney
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Afghans In Auburn I Auburn Community Development Network
Crosscurrents I Bankstown City Council and Water for Life Sydney
Bankstown Now I Bankstown PCYC Sydney
The Garment I Auburn Community Development Network Sydney
Cabramatta Identity Project I Fairfield City Council Sydney
Grandfriends I Powerhouse Museum Sydney
United We Stand I Multicultural Health Unit Liverpool Hospital Sydney
We are now in Australia I Liverpool Sydney
[email protected] I Wollongong Youth Centre and Illawarra Performing Arts Centre
PCYC National Youth Forum I Sydney
Messengers from the West I Auburn Community Development Network Sydney
MAG-Girls with Attitude I Migrant Resource Centre Wollongong
RESIDENCIES
Theatre Kantanka Missing the Bus to David Jones I Arts Lab Performance Space and Campbelltown City Gallery
Greetings from Southbeach I Wollongong City Gallery
COLLECTIONS
Powerhouse Museum
Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
Wollongong City Gallery
Kawasaki International Centre
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