Aldona Kmieć
My art practice reflects my cross-cultural experience as an outsider and explores migrant narratives and sense of displacement.
Recent work focuses on long-exposure photographs of myself, dancing. Producing this series involved labour-intensive repetition of the body movement and wearing layers of colourful compositions. This kind of repetitive and physical effort required to create a photograph is a form of contemplation itself and it helps to increase the awareness of my body and mind. The colours I choose are connected to my emotions, the red and white Polish flag and historical Polish cultural motifs such as the monument to the Heroes of Warsaw, also known as the Warsaw Nike, in Greek mythology a goddess who personified victory.
Capturing the intended shape and movement in just one photographic frame is complex yet fulfilling, like producing a painting with your own body.
Click here for artwork by Aldona Kmieć
Exhibitions
Solo
2024 Veil, Tacit Art, Melbourne
Winterbloom, Loft 275 Gallery, Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub, Melbourne
2023 Winterbloom, Ballarat International Foto Biennale
2017 In the process of healing, Ballarat International Foto Biennale
2015 Dreamscapes, Ballarat International Foto Biennale
Group
2024 50 Squared Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne
Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize, Muswellbrook Regional Art Gallery
2023 Head On Portrait Photography Prize, Sydney
Polish Art Foundation, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne
Kennedy Nyland Photography Prize, South Australia
The Real Thing, Ballarat International Foto Biennale
2022 Maggie Diaz Photography Prize, Brightspace, Melbourne
Summer Salon, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne
Head On Portrait Photography Prize, Sydney
State of Change, Colac, Bright, Geelong libraries
Banyule Art Salon, Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub, Melbourne
2021 Polish Art Foundation, Victorian Artists Society Gallery, Melbourne
Summer Salon, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne
2020 Vibes, Victorian Artists Society Gallery, Melbourne
2019 Beyond 50%, Backspace Gallery, Ballarat
2018 Portrait Prize, Cambridge Studio Gallery, Melbourne
Pol-Art Festival, QCA Galleries, Brisbane
Mixed Blessings, Soldiers Hill Artist Collective, Ballarat
Eureka Art Prize, Ballarat
2017 Ballarat International Foto Biennale [RUNNER UP - Best Open Program exhibition]
Maggie Diaz Photography Prize, Brightspace, Melbourne
2016 Eureka Art Prize, Ballarat
Polish Art Foundation, Victorian Artists Society Gallery, Melbourne
Postcard Show, Linden New Art, Melbourne
Self-portraits to Selfies, The Lost Ones Gallery, Ballarat
2015 Maggie Diaz Photography Prize, Brightspace, Melbourne
Pol-Art Festival, Steps Gallery, Melbourne
2014 Eureka Art Prize, Ballarat [WINNER]
Bowness Photography Prize, Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne
Head On Portrait Photography Prize, Sydney
2013 Centre of Contemporary Photography, Melbourne [WINNER CCP Leica Salon]
Eureka Art Prize, Ballarat [WINNER]
Under the Floorboards, Art Gallery of Ballarat
2012 Pol-Art Festival, Perth
2011 AOP Open Awards, The Truman Brewery Brick Lane, London
2008 The Association of Photographers Gallery, London [WINNER - End-of-Year Best Photo Competition]