Ali TAHAYORI was born in Shiraz, Iran (1980) and is now based in Gadigal country (Sydney, Australia). He is currently in the final year of his Master of Fine Art in Photomedia at National Art School in Sydney. Ali learned analog photography and darkroom techniques in his hometown, Shiraz, where he spent countless hours in his darkroom and worked as a freelance photographer until he moved to Australia in 2007. Upon his arrival to Australia and after a period of self-discovery and not practising, he returned to his passion for photography, and since, he has been working as an interdisciplinary artist in Sydney. His practice ranges from conceptual photography to the moving image, installation, sound and performance. His work explores the nature and possibility of still and moving images to represent traumatic memories. Ali uses archival materials, narrative fragments and performative modalities to explore themes of identity, home, migration and displacement.
His current practice focuses on Catoptrics, that deals with phenomena of reflected light and image-making optical systems using mirrors. Drawing on his Cultural heritage, his research incorporates the ancient Iranian philosophies of light and mirrors and pushes the boundaries of a traditional craft – Āine-Kāri – with a historical decorative function, to re-define its role within a contemporary art setting
Ali is the winner of 2021 Bowness Photography Prize's Smith and Singer People's Choice Award and received highly commended honourable mention for his work Sisterhood. He was also a finalist at Blacktown City Art Prize in 2021.
CV
Ali Tahayori
Born. Shiraz, Iran (1980)
Lives and works in Gadigal land, Sydney, Australia since 2007
EDUCATION
2022 Master of Fine Art (Photomedia), National Art School, Sydney (final year)
2003 Graduate Certificate (Photography), Sepid-o-Siyah Art School, Shiraz, Iran
EXHIBITIONS
2022 ‘Retrograde//Anterograde’, Airspace Projects, Sydney, Australia (upcoming group show-April 2022)
2022 ‘Sisterhood’, group show, Kudos Gallery, Sydney, Australia (upcoming)
2022 ‘What Comes Afterwards’, solo show, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2021 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize, group show, Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne, Australia
2021 Blacktown City Art Prize, The Leo Kelly Blacktown Art Centre, Sydney, Australia
2020 ‘March Arts’, RPAH , Sydney, Australia
2004 ‘Plastic’, Vessal Gallery, Shiraz, Iran
2003 Graduate Exhibition, Sepid-o-Siyah Gallery, Shiraz, Iran
AWARDS
2021 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize, Smith and Singer People's Choice Award, Winner
2021 Colour Factory MGA, highly commended Honourable mention
2021 Blacktown City Art Prize, Finalist
2020 March Arts Photography Prize, Sydney, Australia, Winner
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
2018 March Arts, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
COLLECTIONS
Private collections in Australia and Iran
PRESENTATIONS & Artist talk
2021 Ali Tahayori and Justine Varga in conversation with MGA director, Anouska Phizacklea on Alternative Photographic Processes
REVIEWS & FEATURES
2021 Sisterhood reviewed in December 2021 by Capture Magazine; https://www.capturemag.com.au/news/bowness-prize-people-s-choice-winner-revealed?fbclid=IwAR0nFHxCA4DVKLYV5Q9MAst0QDxxh1vXpD5WE-i8F3J_ufGplj3ibhhUer0
2021 Sisterhood reviewed on 7th December 2021 by Australian Photography Magazine; https://www.australianphotography.com/news/striking-portrait-wins-2021-bowness-photography-prize-people-s-choice-award?fbclid=IwAR2U0J4XEqaj0uUA7OtYw1Z0_Q7J1PUtW-9_WfP8IX0UEjgtpPJJmJzDhO4
2021 Sisterhood reviewed in December 2021 by the Australian Arts Review; https://artsreview.com.au/ali-tahayori-wins-smith-singer-peoples-choice-award-for-sisterhood/?fbclid=IwAR2GLnRbqcYXat30DE_gc_thfR4lfSNzxCzw0qn3GDb98fUdLj7LpuxhFAA
2021 Featured in The Guardian Australia, The 2021 Bowness Photography Prize, Finalists in pictures; https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2021/nov/12/the-2021-bowness-photography-prize-selected-finalists-in-pictures?fbclid=IwAR2_1ZYKegaDJ6lEoITsMGCNYUOk_vVgkqbnB6KscKXfmvBsCuXPgK9XqZQ
2021 Featured in The Age, All the emotions are documented in the best photos of 2021; https://www.theage.com.au/culture/art-and-design/all-the-emotions-are-documented-in-the-best-photos-of-2020-20211109-p597d0.html?fbclid=IwAR2wFCY9ow7eFOcaOYdjDxEP-08w4s3jayEvMvIl22FRDkMT1SkBcBpQ6Xo
