Kate Bernauer

Kate Bernauer was born in a tin shed by a creek on April the 23rd, 1975. It was a completely clear day except for the tiniest of storm clouds, which, moments after her arrival let out a small thunderclap. She lives and works in Brisbane, Australia. Predominantly a photographic and video artist, she has also worked as a Cinematic Designer and Layout artist for the video games industry. Currently she is researching a new body of work.

·Artist Statement·

My work is embedded with implied narratives that are inspired by dreams, myths and tall stories. The series ‘I’ll be home in time for dinner’ explores the ridiculous and often tragic nature of human experience through the staging of people engaged in strange and often futile activities. The use of theatrical lighting and props on location creates a stage where poetic metaphors address the contradictions and absurdities of everyday life. The work has been inspired by dreams and ‘strange, but true’ columns – the weird and absurd true stories often found in the back pages of newspapers. The series 'Long Way Home' and 'Notes on Trying to be a Fish' depict the Gold Coast and Brisbane night-time cityscapes. Buildings provide familiar backdrops and yet this is not how we usually see these places. Potential stories unfold, playing themselves out in their dream-like way, leaving the viewer to shape and imbue with meaning as they wish.

·Selected Solo Exhibitions·

2009 Kate Bernauer Video Works,Square2 Gallery,Wellington, NZ
2009 'I’ll be Home in Time for Dinner’, Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney, AUS
2008 ‘Closer’ Rawspace Galleries, Brisbane, AUS
2007 ‘Long Way Home’, Queensland Centre for Photography Brisbane, AUS
2006 'I’ll be Home in Time for Dinner’, Queensland Centre for Photography, Brisbane, AUS

·Selected Group Exhibitions·

2010 SNAP!, National Ballet School, Toronto, Canada
2009 Bank On Art, various locations, Toronto, Canada
2009 Video Works, Tarryn Teresa Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2009 LAUNCH finalists exhibition, Metro Arts, Brisbane, AUS
2008 The Churchie National Emerging Art Exhibition, Churchie, Brisbane, AUS
2008 Selected photographs from the Daryl Hewson Collection, QUT Art Museum, Brisbane, AUS
2007 Artworkers Award, In Transit Gallery, Brisbane, AUS
2007 Josephine Ulrick & Win Schubert Photography Award, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, AUS
2007 ‘An Other Reality’, Rawspace Galleries, Brisbane, AUS
2007 ‘While Others Sleep’, Queensland Centre for Photography, Brisbane, AUS
2006 ‘Saving Daylight’, Queensland College of Art, Graduate Exhibition, Brisbane, AUS
2006 ‘The Adventures of Jose Pablo’, QUT Theatres, The Queensland Short Film Festival,
Brisbane, AUS
2006 ‘Into the Void’, The Tyre Factory, Brisbane, AUS
2005 ‘End of Year’, Rivoli Theatre, Brisbane, AUS
2005 ‘Scape’, Whitebox Gallery Brisbane, AUS

· Awards and Publications ·

2010 Australia Council for the Arts New Work Grant recipient.
2009 Feature article and interview in Modern Photo Magazine
2009 Honorable mention in the Dazed & Confused Art vs Design Competition
2009 LAUNCH scholarship finalist
2009 Feature artist in Cool Hunting magazine
2009 Featured and review in Lost at E-minor magazine
2008 Finalist in the Churchie National Emerging Art Prize
2008 Article and Review MX magazine
2008 Photograph used as set decoration in the film Nim’s Island
2007 Artworkers Award Highly Commended
2007 f-stop Magazine #23 May/June
2007 Featured Artist on the Dazed Digital & Wrangler Wanted Gallery
2007 ‘While Others Sleep’ book published by Pasqual Press
2007 Dazed and Confused (Aus & NZ edition) article and review of While Others Sleep
2007 Josephine Ulrick & Win Schubert Award Finalist
2007 Featured Artist on the National Association for Visual Arts website
2007 Review and interview for Time Off magazine
2006 Awarded the Queensland Centre for Photography Award presented for experimentation and innovation within photo art practice
2006 Academic Excellence Award Griffith University
2005 Invited to join the Golden Key International Honour Society
2004 Academic Excellence Award Griffith University

· Educational Qualifications ·

2006 Bachelor of Photography, Queensland College of Art
Griffith University.
Major - Photographic Art Practice
Minor - Creative Advertising
Awarded the Griffith Award for Academic Excellence 2004 and 2006