About

Aldona Kmieć is a Polish-born photographic artist based in Naarm / Melbourne, Australia. She migrated to Australia in 2009. Raised on a farm in communist-era Poland, she has a deep connection to the land and the stories it holds. Working across photography and installation, her art practice merges aspects of conceptual, staged, and documentary photography to highlight migrant narratives built upon personal stories, reflecting the complexities of identity and displacement.

Aldona’s most recent series, Veil, explores memory and time through long-exposure photography and repeated bodily movements, layered with vibrant compositions of colour. 

Aldona is the recipient of City of Melbourne Arts Grant (2025). Most recent projects include “Neighbourhood Watch” Banyule City Council’s installation of abstract street photography as pavement art (2024); photography and sound installation at Frankston Arts Centre (2024). Earlier projects include We R You (2013 and 2015): a participatory street art project in Ballarat, featuring hundreds of local residents on street posters; Under the Floorboards (2012-13): life-size mosaic portraits reflecting the collective experiences and stories of the community; In the Process of Healing (2017): immersive, site-specific installation combining photography and sound, State Library Victoria commissions (2021-2022): documenting the effects of bushfires and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aldona’s work has been exhibited in various galleries in Australia, she is represented by Tacit Art.

For new art commissions or commercial work – please get in touch.

 

I acknowledge the sovereignty of the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I live and work: Wadawurrung, Wurundjeri and Gunaikurnai people of Victoria.


Newsletter  Biography


ARTIST CV (PDF) → download

Born 1977, Poland
London UK 2004-09, Arrived Australia 2009
Lives and works in Naarm/Melbourne

EDUCATION  

2008 Advanced Diploma in Photography, London Metropolitan University

COLLECTIONS

State Library of Victoria [Oral histories and photographs for the Rural and Regional Commission 2020-2023]
St John of God Art Collection
Ballarat Arts Foundation
M.A.D.E. Museum of Democracy at Eureka 
private collections worldwide

ARTIST RESIDENCIES

2024 Mass, Drawing Intensive, Loft 275 Gallery, Ivanhoe 
2024 Gasworks Arts Park, Melbourne 
2024 Mungga Artist Studio, Ivanhoe 
2018 BOAA Biennale of Australian Art, Ballarat 
2013 We R You Project Facilitator, Ballarat 
2012-2013 Under the Floorboards, Uniting Care Ballarat 

AWARDS

2024 Finalist, OptiKA 2024 Photographic Award
2024 Finalist, Michael Beazer Works on Paper Prize
2024 Finalist, Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize 
2024 Finalist, CLIP Landscape Award, Perth Centre for Photography
2024 Winner, Linden Postcard Show Play Award   
2023 Winner, Public Choice Ballarat Arts Foundation Eureka Prize
2023 Finalist, Head On Portrait Award 
2023 Finalist, Nyland Photography Prize
2022 Finalist, Maggie Diaz Photography Prize
2018 Finalist, Cambridge Studio Gallery Portrait Prize
2018 Finalist, Art Lovers Australia Prize
2018 Finalist, Contemporary Art Awards
2017 Finalist, Maggie Diaz Photography Prize
2017 Winner 3rd Prize Airbnb Fear of Flying story
2016 Finalist, Eureka Art Prize Ballarat Arts Foundation
2015 Finalist, Maggie Diaz Photography Prize
2014 Winner, Eureka Art Prize Ballarat Arts Foundation
2014 Finalist,
Bowness Photography Prize
2014 Finalist, Head On Portrait Award 
2013 Winner, CCP Leica Salon Most Humorous Image  

2013 Winner, Eureka Art Prize Ballarat Arts Foundation 
2012 Honourable Mention Fine Art 7th Black & White Awards
2012 Finalist, ‘My migration. Moja Emigracja’ book

2011 Finalist, AOP Open Photography Awards London
2008 Winner, End-of-Year Best Photo Competition, AOP Gallery London 

ART GRANTS / COMMISSIONS

2024 City of Melbourne Arts Grant 2025  
2024 Art in Public Spaces, Banyule City Council 
2023 Hospitals as a Place, St John of God Art Collection, Perth   
2022 State of Change, State Library Victoria
2020 Focus on Country Victoria, State Library Victoria
2017 Paste up Photography Grant, East Gippsland Council
2013 We R You Paste-ups Project Grant, City of Ballarat 
2012 Under the Floorboards, Uniting Care Ballarat
2011 Photography Grant, Ballarat Arts Foundation

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025 Melbourne City Library,  12 Nov Oct – 7 Dec  
2025 Brimbank Gallery, Sunshine *5 Sept – 28 Nov 
2024 Glass Cube Gallery, Frankston Art Centre *15 Oct – 7 Dec 
2024 Veil, Tacit Art, Abbotsford 
2024 Winterbloom, Loft 275 Gallery Ivanhoe 
2017 In the process of healing, Ballarat Intl Foto Biennale
2015 Dreamscapes, Ballarat International Foto Biennale 
2013 Lost but Found, Ballarat International Foto Biennale 
2011 Lost in Translation, Ballarat International Foto Biennale 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024

2024 Linden Postcard Show, Linden New Art Gallery 
2024 Inner West Art Fair, The Substation, Newport 22–24 Nov 
2024 Polish Art Foundation, Victorian Artist Society 9–16 Oct 
2024 Biennale Of Colour and Light, West End Art Space 5 Oct-2 Nov 
2024 Michael Beazer Works on Paper Prize, East Gippsland Art Gallery 13-19 Oct
2024 Finalists MCPP Prize Muswellbrook Art Gallery 15 Aug-12 Oct
2024 Head On finalists, Pingyao International Photography Festival 19-23 Sept 
2024 Banyule Artists, Loft 275 Gallery, Ivanhoe 5 – 22 Sept
2024 Art of Nature, Cube Gallery Frankston Art Centre 15 Aug – 13 Sept
2024 Equine shrine, Latrobe Regional Gallery, Morwell 12 July – 27 Oct
2024 CLIP Award finalists, Perth Centre for Photography 
2024 Fifty Squared Art Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery
2024 Mass, Drawing Intensive, LOFT 275 Gallery Ivanhoe

2023

2023 Linden Postcard Show, Linden New Art Gallery 
2023 EGAG Wrap Prize, East Gippsland Art Gallery, Bairnsdale
2023 Eureka Art Award, Fairbanks Gallery, Ballarat 
2023 Head On Portrait Award finalists, Bondi Pavilion Sydney 
2023 Hospitals as a Place, St John of God Health Care HQ Perth 
2023 PAF Contemporary Drawing Biennale, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne
2023 Echoes of a Gaze, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne
2023 Winterbloom commissioned by RACV for Ballarat International Foto Biennale 
2023 The Real Thing commissioned for Ballarat International Foto Biennale 

2022

2022 CCP Summer Salon, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne
2022 Head On Photography Festival ‘Add On’ Bondi Pavilion Sydney
2022 Borders, Polish Art Foundation, Victorian Artists Society, Melbourne
2022 Maggie Diaz Photography Prize Finalists , Brightspace Gallery, St Kilda
2022 State of Change: Regional & rural stories of 2020 touring exhibition (Colac, Bright, Geelong)
2022 Banyule Art Salon, Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub, Melbourne

2021

2021 Faces, Polish Art Foundation, Victorian Artist Society Melbourne
2021 Regional bushfires and COVID recovery, State Library Victoria, Melbourne
2021 STAGES: life in lockdown, Monash Gallery of Art 
2021 CCP Salon, Centre of Contemporary Photography, Melbourne
2020 Vibes,  Victorian Artists Society, Melbourne 
2020 Members Group Exhibition, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne
2019 Colours of World Cultures, Backspace Ballarat Art Gallery
2019 Beyond 50%, Backspace Gallery, Ballarat
2018 Pol-Art Festival, QCA Galleries South Bank, Brisbane
2018 BAF Eureka Art Award Finalists, Post Office Gallery, Ballarat
2018 Mixed Blessings, SHAC Mercure Hotel & Convention Centre, Ballarat
2018 Open studio ArtWalk, SHAC Soldiers Hill Artist Collective, Ballarat  
2018 Portrait Prize, Cambridge Studio Gallery, Collingwood 

2017

2017 Our Place, Soldiers Hill Artist Collective Backspace Ballarat Art Gallery
2017 Maggie Diaz Photography Prize for Women, Brightspace Gallery, St Kilda

2017 BAF Eureka Art Award Finalists, Ballarat Art Gallery

2016

2016 BAF Eureka Art Award Finalists, Post Office Gallery, Ballarat
2016 Impressions Polish Arts Foundation, Victorian Artists Society, Melbourne
2016 Linden Postcard Show, Linden New Art Gallery, Melbourne
2016 THIS IS ME: Examination of the art of self image, The Lost Ones Gallery, Ballarat

2015

2015 Pol-Art Festival, Steps Gallery, Carlton
2015 Maggie Diaz Photography Prize finalists, Brightspace Gallery, St Kilda

2014

2014 Eureka Art Prize Finalists , Post Office Gallery, Ballarat
2014 Bowness Photography Prize Finalists, Monash Gallery of Art
2014 Head On Portrait Finalists, Paddington Reservoir Gallery, Sydney

2013 Under the Floorboards, Art Gallery Ballarat
2012 Pol-Art Festival, Perth
2011 Transient, Ballarat Intl Foto Biennale, Craig’s Royal Hotel Ballarat
2011 Lost in Translation: collaboration with painter Casey Tosh, Portico Ballarat
2011 AOP Open Awards Finalists, Truman Brewery Bricklane London

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES / SERVICE

2025 Guest Speaker: The Business of Art Art Lovers Conference, Melbourne
2024 Guest Speaker: PSC Photography Studies College, Melbourne
2024 Visitor Services Volunteer, Heide Museum of Modern Art
2024 Member, National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA)
2024 Member, Australian Photographic Society
2024 Member, Soldiers Hill Artist Collective 
2018 Gippsland Community Leadership Program (scholarship)
2015-16
2015 Artist Talk: Renata Dąbrowska, Paweł Roman i Aldona Kmieć o portrecie, Galeria Odwach Czestochowa PL
2014 Ballarat Community Leadership Program (scholarship)
2013 “On moving from communism to democracy” M.A.D.E  Museum of Democracy at Eureka 15.05.2013
2012-2014 Culture Diversity Advisor, Intercultural Ambassador Ballarat City Council 
2012-2015 Board Member, Ballarat Arts Alive
2010-2015 Volunteer / Festival Production Team, Ballarat Foto Biennale festival

PUBLICATIONS / INTERVIEWS / FEATURES

2024 SBS Radio Interview Veil (in Polish)
2024 APS Free Expressions Magazine, No. 88 Aug 2024
2024 Australian Photographic Society Magazine, July edition
2024 Australian Photography Magazine 
2024 SBS Radio Interview Winterbloom (in Polish)
2023 Polish Art Foundation Contemporary Drawing Biennale catalogue
2023 The Guardian Australia from-mullets-to-muhammad-ali-in-pictures
2023 Ballarat Intl Foto Biennale festival program
2023 Ballarat Intl Foto Biennale The Real Thing exhibition catalogue
2022 Polish Art Foundation Borders exhibition catalogue
2021 Mass Isolation Australia book photographs
2021 Polish Art Foundation Faces exhibition catalogue
2020 Polish Art Foundation Vibes exhibition catalogue
2020 Interview Publication by Anthea Dorsett
2019 SBS Polish Radio Interview An interesting story behind the photo 
2017 SBS Radio Interview Photographic Inspirations (In Polish)
2017 SBS Radio Interview In the Process of Healing (In Polish)
2017 Artist Interview In the Process of Healing Diprose, Kirsten ABC Radio Ballarat
2017 Capture Magazine Ballarat International Foto Biennale – a visual sampler
2016 “Ballarat’s top artistic talent goes on show” Wilson, Amber The Ballarat Courier
2016 Artist Interview “A developing vision” Cluff, Caleb The Ballarat Courier
2015 Radio Interview 26 June 2015, Fiat FM, Czestochowa Poland
2015 Studio Visit, Artist Feature The Design Files
2015 Studio Visit, Artist Feature “Tara meets an inspirational Ballarat artist”, Better Homes and Gardens TV
2015 “Photos take audience to the land of dreams” Dellaram Vreeland, The Ballarat Courier
2015 PolArt Visual Arts Program catalogue
2014 Bowness Photography Prize catalogue
2013 “Lost But Found: Do you recognise this woman” Sweet, Emily The Ballarat Courier
2013 Under the Floorboards exhibition catalogue 
2013 “We R You: public art project celebrates the faces of Ballarat” Partland, Lily ABC Radio Ballarat
2013 “A red carpet is rolled out for some, while others tread under the floorboards, away from the lights and the sun” Brine, Dominic ABC Radio Ballarat
2012 Artist Interview “Everyone’s journey is different”, Brine, Dominic ABC Radio Ballarat
2012 Moja emigracja [My Migration]. Buccan, Queensland: Favoryta ISBN 978-0-9871769-4-3

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