Joanna Kambourian
BIO
Joanna Kambourian | b. 22 March 1976 – d.12 April 2023
Joanna Kambourian is an Australian born designer, printmaker and multi-dimensional visual artist of Armenian American heritage.
Throughout her creative practice, Kambourian explores, experiences and examines the idea of ‘hybrid hyphenations’ within contemporary cultural and social identity.
Through a variety of mediums, digital prints, serigraphy, and 3D works, Joanna explores motifs, imagery, ideas and crafts typically from Armenian Culture; re-represented in a more familiar, current context.
Weaving, craft and graphic patterns feature strongly in her recent works, alongside stories of imagined ‘heroines’ from Armenian Folklore, told through re-appropriated images, deliberately obscured, concealed and distorted.
Her work continues to document an ongoing journey, a search for identity and belonging from a multicultural perspective that crosses generations and encompasses the diasporic experience. Her work illustrates this complex heritage through a multi disciplinary practice.
http://www.msbrownslounge.com.au
https://www.instagram.com/msbrownslounge
https://www.facebook.com/msbrownslounge
Art Practice Keywords:
Artist, Print Maker, Designer, Street Art, Mural Designer
Artist Role Keywords:
Collaboration/ Collaborator names Keywords:
Lismore Artspace 2010-2017, ARI Remix Project 2014-2022, Willowbank Studio, Epicormia Collective 2014-2017
Collections
Various Private & Public Collections
Joanna Kambourian
Joanna Kambourian is an Australian designer, printmaker and visual artist of Armenian heritage. She is
a first class Honours graduate of the Visual Arts program at Southern Cross University, Lismore and also studied printmaking and artists books at Pratt Institute, New York.
Throughout her creative practice, she explores, experiences and examines the idea of ‘hybrid hyphenations’ within contemporary cultural and social identity.
Joanna continues to document an ongoing journey, a search for identity and belonging from a postcolonial perspective that crosses generations and encompasses the diasporic experience. Her work
illustrates this complex heritage through a multi disciplinary practice.
joannak@msbrownslounge.com.au
www.msbrownslounge.com.au
@msbrownslounge @jo_msbrown
EDUCATION
1994 | Assoc Dip Graphic Design, Enmore Design Centre TAFE, NSW
2003 | Cert. III Visual Arts & Marketing, TAFE NSW
2006 | Senior Printmaking, PRATT Institute, Brooklyn, NYC
2006 Dean’s List
2006 | Bachelor of Visual Arts, Southern Cross University, NSW
2006 KASKE fellowship award winner
2009 | Bachelor of Visual Arts (HONS 1st class) Southern Cross University, NSW
POSITIONS
07-20 | Creative Director & Graphic Designer, Ms Browns Lounge, Lismore NSW
10-18 | Studio Manager, Lismore Art Space, Lismore NSW
2012 | Casual Academic, Printmaking, Southern Cross University, NSW
2008 | Casual Academic, Digital Art & Design Southern Cross University, NSW
2010 | Casual Academic, Printmaking, Southern Cross University, NSW
2011 | Casual Academic, Printmaking, Southern Cross University, NSW
EXHIBITIONS
Mar 21 | Burnie Print Prize 2021 – Burnie Regional Art Gallery, TAS
Oct 20 | PCA Print Commission 2020 – Umbrella Arts, Townsville QLD
Oct 20 | Sydney Contemporary Presents – Sydney Contemporary Online Exhibition
Jun 20 | Screen on Paper – Megalo Print Studio+Gallery (Online Exhibition), ACT
Jan 20 | Boiling Point – Third Quarter, Brisbane, QLD
May 19 | Façade – Gallery DownTown, Tweed Regional Gallery, NSW
Mar 19 | Bimblebox 153 Birds – Gladstone Regional Art Gallery, QLD
Feb 19 | SUMMER MIX – Poly Gone Cowboy, Brisbane, QLD
Feb 19 | IMPRESS – No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
Nov 18 | #PRIZENOPRIZE – The Walls, Gold Coast, QLD
Dec 17 | Road Trippin’ – Site Specific Installation, ArtState Lismore, NSW
Dec 17 | The Outpost – Pop Up Exhibition, Lismore, NSW
Dec 17 | Bring a Plate – The Stockroom, Melbourne, VIC
Oct 17 | FORM – In.cube8r Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
Sep 17 | DODGY ART SHOW #2 – The Stockroom, Melbourne, VIC
Apr 17 | DECKS FOR CHANGE – Parliament Skate Shop, Brisbane, QLD
Mar 17 | MANLY ARTISTS BOOK AWARD – The Creative Space, Manly, NSW
Mar 17 | ON SCREEN – The Print Bar, Brisbane, QLD
Dec 16 | TALES FROM THE LOUNGE, (Kambourian & Bryant), Analogue Gallery Brisbane
Nov 16 | SEE ME AS THE MISSING PARTS (SOLO), No Comply, Toowoomba QLD
Nov 16 | BUY THE BOOK FAIR – Central Booking, Lower East Side, NYC
Oct 16 | DISRUPT – PRINT CULTURE – Jugglers Artspace, Brisbane, QLD
Mar 16 | ART AT THE AIRPORT – Ballina/Byron Gateway Airport, NSW
Mar 16 | WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE – Whitebox Gallery, QCA, Brisbane, QLD
Dec 15 | PASTEMODERNISM 4 – amBUSH gallery, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW
Sept 15 | FINALIST. 2015 Fremantle Print Award – Fremantle Arts Centre WA
June 15 | Girls Night, St Thomas Studios, Gold Coast, QLD
June 15 | Pressed (A Printmakers Exhibition), Group Show, Murwillumbah, NSW
May 15 | First Coat Toowoomba – Margaret Street Sugar Jam Artist (Mural)
May 15 | Ms Browns Lounge (Kambourian & Bryant) – Poly Gone Cowboy, Brisbane
May 15 | Bimblebox 153 Birds – Impress Printmakers Studio/Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
May 15 | The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) – MRAG, Maitland NSW
Jan 15 | Artists from MARS curated by Alison Mooney– Powerhouse, Brisbane, QLD
Dec 14 | BSG 40×40 – Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
Nov 14 | Plants & Memories – Velvet Milk Group Show, the Grid, Toowoomba, QLD
Oct 14 | OFERENDA, Just Another Project Space, Melbourne, VIC
Oct 14 | ALL IN 2 – MARS gallery at The Grid Toowoomba, QLD
Jun 14 | DUO: Learning the Ropes – Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW
Jun 14 | in (two) art – The Agapitos/Wilson Annual 2010, Grafton, NSW
Jan 14 | RAH collective book launch – TATE Gallery, Glebe, Sydney NSW
Sep 13 | in (two) art – The Agapitos/Wilson Annual 2010, Wollongong City Gallery, NSW
Jun 13 | Ms Browns Lounge Zine Folio & Exchange – MCA Zine Fair, Sydney, NSW
May 13 | Arts Northern River Creatives POPup show – The Rocks, Sydney, NSW
Apr 13 | Arts Northern River Creatives POPup show – Byron Bay, NSW
Jan 13 | in (two) art – The Agapitos/Wilson Annual 2010, Goulburn Regional Gallery, NSW
Oct 12 | Lessons in History Vol. II – Democracy – grahame galleries+editions, QLD
Sep 12 | Finalist 2012 Fremantle Print Award – Fremantle Arts Centre, WA
Jun 12 | in (two) art – The Agapitos/Wilson Annual 2010, S.H Ervin Gallery Sydney, NSW
Mar 12 | QR Project by EIGHT collective – Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW
Nov 11 | Pastemodernism 3 – OUTPOST festival, Cockatoo Island, Sydney, NSW
Sep 11 | The Silent Scream – Rare book library, Monash University, VIC
Sep 11 | Footsteps – 16 Northern Rivers Printmakers IMPACT7, Monash University, VIC
Sep 11 | Footsteps – 16 Northern Rivers Printmakers, Quotidian & Quixotic, NSW
Apr 11 | fair & square – curated by Rona Green, Joyes Hall Gallery, CSU, NSW
Dec 10 | December show – grahame galleries + editions, Brisbane, QLD
Nov 10 | 2high Festival – Live screen printing/installation, Brisbane Powerhouse QLD
Aug 10 | in (two) art – The Agapitos/Wilson Annual 2010, Maitland Regional Gallery NSW
July 10 | Eastcoasters – Bleeding Heart Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
Apr 10 | past present – Southern Cross University next Art Gallery, Lismore, NSW
Mar 10 | 33 Artists – MA Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Jan 10 | Stories of our Making – Tweed River Regional Gallery, NSW
Nov 09 | Visual Art Honours Grad Show 09 – Southern Cross University, NSW
Sep 09 | Stories of our Making – Impact 5, University of West England, CFPR, Bristol, UK
Aug 09 | Tales from the Cold Ghost (tinygold) – 19 Karen Gallery, Gold Coast QLD
Jul 09 | Revolution of Art – Retrospect Galleries, Byron Bay, NSW
Jul 09 | Books Beyond Words – East Gippsland Art Gallery, VIC
May 09 | Dim Memories of Exile – Solo show, Hervey Bay Regional Gallery, QLD
Apr 09 | X7: Kaske Award Winners – SCU next Art Gallery, Lismore, NSW
Nov 08 | Hard-pressed – Retrospect Galleries, Byron Bay, NSW
Mar 08 | Libris Artists’ Book Awards – Artspace Mackay, QLD
Feb 08 | CODEX Collaboration: (P)flight of the Paper Balloons, Tweed Regional, NSW
Nov 07 | Looks @ Books #3 – University of West England, CFPR, Bristol, UK
Sep 07 | 5th artists’ books & multiples fair – Griffith University QCA, Brisbane, QLD
Sep 07 | Bookmarks V Project – University of West England, CFPR, Bristol, UK
Sep 07 | Night of 1,000 Drawings – Artists Space, SoHo, NYC, USA
Aug 07 | the Seed Project Benefit Auction – RARE Gallery, Chelsea, NYC, USA
Aug 07 | To Have & To Hold – Barratt Galleries, Alstonville, NSW
Aug 07 | Books 07 – Noosa Regional Gallery, Noosa, QLD – emerging artist award
Jun 07 | So Bright It Hurts – the Alleyway Gallery, Lismore, NSW
May 07 | Looks @ Books #1 – University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD
Mar 07 | Lessons in History Vol. 1 – grahame galleries + editions, Brisbane, QLD
Nov 06 | EXIT 06 – BA Visual Arts Graduate Art Show, Southern Cross University, NSW
July 06 | Artist Book Prize – NEXT Contemporary Art Space, SCU, NSW
May 06 | Pratt Senior Printmakers Exhibition, Sputnik, Brooklyn, NYC, USA
Feb 06 | Libris Artists’ Books Awards – Artspace Mackay, QLD
Nov 05 | ‘Huntingpole’, Lismore Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Jan 05 | ‘Sampling Two’ – NEXT Contemporary Art Space @ Byron, Byron Bay, NSW
COMMISSIONS
2020 | Print Council of Australia Print Commission Selected Artist 2020
COLLECTIONS
2018 | Miami University Artists’ Book Collection, “Costumes of the Russian Court III”
Unique State Artists’ Book.
2017 | Manly Library Artists’ Book Collection, Manly NSW “Tales of the Wolf Girl” Unique
State Artists’ Book
2015 | Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library Harvard University, USA. “Nauru” &
“Maribyrnong” Collaborative Artists’ Book
2013 | Australian Library of Art, State Library of QLD, “Ms Browns Lounge Zine Folio”
Zine folio of Regional artists zines curated by Ms Browns Lounge at MCA Zine Fair 2013
2011 | Charles Sturt University, “fair & square”, Print folio curated by Rona Green
2010 | National Gallery of Australia, VIC Australian Art Collection “Most Random” Zine
2008 | Artspace Mackay, QLD “Costumes of the Russian Court Vol. 1” Artists’ Book
2008 | Australian Library of Art, State Library of QLD “Maribyrnong” Artists’ Book
2007 | Australian Library of Art, State Library of Queensland “Postmarks 1” Artists’ Book
2007 | Private Collection, New York City “Boy in a Sailor’s Suit” Artists’ Book
2005 | Wagga Regional Gallery, Wagga NSW Print Australia print exchange 2005
PUBLICATIONS
2017 | Marciniak, Catherine: Interview with Joanna Kambourian, Back Alley Gallery Lismore
2017 | Tofigian, Omid (Editor), Transcultural Imaginations – narratives, social and political
commentary, poetry and images from Sydney. Sydney University Publication.
2012 | Clark, Julie. Arts Northern Rivers InFocus, Regional Arts newsletter April, feature.
2011 | Oppen, M. & Lyssiotis, P. “The Silent Scream: Political and social comment in
books by artists”. Exhibition publication: p122, 123.
2010 | Limerick School of Art & Design, Stick Magazine, feature article, p3
2010 | Brown, B. Blanket Magazine: Issue 21: Rock Paper Scissors, p61, 62
2010 | Eisenberg, J. & Kersey, S., ‘in (two) art’ exhibition catalogue, p11, 12
2008 | Pavlou, K. & James, T. “Family Footsteps: Armenia”, subject of the documentary
series by December Films & aired on ABC TV Australia, August 2008
GRANTS & AWARDS
2019 | NSW Artists’ Grant 2019, 2020 NEST Artists Residency, ICA Yerevan, Armenia.
2010 | Art Start Recipient, Australia Council for the Arts
2006 | KASKE Fellowship Award Winner, Southern Cross University, NSW
CV (Archived Version 2017)
CV [Select] – Joanna Kambourian
EDUCATION
1994 | Assoc Dip Graphic Design, Enmore Design Centre TAFE, NSW
2003 | Cert. III Visual Arts & Marketing, TAFE NSW
2006 | Senior Printmaking, PRATT Institute, Brooklyn, NYC 2006 Dean’s List
2006 | Bachelor of Visual Arts, Southern Cross University, NSW 2006 KASKE fellowship award winner
2009 | Bachelor of Visual Arts (HONS 1st class) Southern Cross University, NSW
POSITIONS
07-19 | Creative Director & Graphic Designer, Ms Browns Lounge, Lismore NSW
10-18 | Studio Manager, Lismore Art Space, Lismore NSW
2012 | Casual Academic, Printmaking, Southern Cross University, NSW
2008 | Casual Academic, Digital Art & Design Southern Cross University, NSW
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
May 19 | Façade – Gallery DownTown, Tweed Regional Gallery, NSW
Mar 19 | Bimblebox 153 Birds – Gladstone Regional Art Gallery, QLD
Feb 19 | SUMMER MIX – Poly Gone Cowboy, Brisbane QLD
Nov 18 | #PRIZENOPRIZE – The Walls, Gold Coast QLD
Dec 17 | Road Trippin’ – Site Specific Installation, ArtState, Lismore NSW
Dec 17 | The Outpost – Pop Up Exhibition, Lismore NSW
Nov 16 | See me as the Missing Parts (SOLO), No Comply, Toowoomba QLD
Dec 15 | PASTEMODERNISM 4 – amBUSH gallery, Sydney, NSW
Sept 15 | 2015 Fremantle Print Award Finalist – Fremantle Arts Centre, WA
June 15 | Girls Night, St Thomas Studios, Gold Coast QLD
May 15 | Ms Browns Lounge (Kambourian & Bryant) – Poly Gone Cowboy, Brisbane QLD
Jan 15 | Artists from MARS curated by Alison Mooney– Powerhouse, Brisbane QLD
Nov 14 | Plants & Memories – Velvet Milk Group Show, the Grid, Toowoomba QLD
Jun 14 | DUO: Learning the Ropes – Lismore Regional Gallery NSW
Jan 13 | in (two) art – The Agapitos/Wilson Annual 2010, Goulburn Regional Gallery, NSW
Oct 12 | Lessons in History Vol. II – Democracy – grahame galleries+editions, QLD
Jun 12 | in (two) art – The Agapitos/Wilson Annual 2010, S.H Ervin Gallery Sydney, NSW
Sep 11 | Footsteps – 16 Northern Rivers Printmakers IMPACT7, Monash University, VIC
Apr 11 | fair & square – curated by Rona Green, Joyes Hall Gallery, CSU, NSW
Nov 10 | 2high Festival – Live screen printing/installation, Brisbane Powerhouse QLD
COLLECTIONS
2018 | Otto G. Richter Library, University of Miami, USA, “Costumes of the Russian Court Vol. 2”
2015 | Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, Harvard University, USA. “Nauru” Artists’ Book
2013 | Australian Library of Art, State Library of QLD, “Ms Browns Lounge Zine Folio”
2011 | Charles Sturt University, “fair & square”, Print folio curated by Rona Green
2008 | Artspace Mackay, QLD “Costumes of the Russian Court Vol. 1” Artists’ Book
2007 | Australian Library of Art, State Library of Queensland “Postmarks 1” Artists’ Book
PUBLICATIONS
2017 | Marciniak, Catherine: Interview with Joanna Kambourian, Back Alley Gallery Lismore
2017 | Tofighian, Omid (Editor): Transcultural Imaginations, University of Sydney Publication, p19
2012 | Clark, Julie. Arts Northern Rivers InFocus, Regional Arts newsletter April, feature.
2011 | Oppen, M. & Lyssiotis, P. “The Silent Scream” Exhibition publication: p122, 123.
2010 | Eisenberg, J. & Kersey, S., ‘in (two) art’ exhibition catalogue, p11, 12
2008 | Pavlou, K. & James, T. “Family Footsteps: Armenia”, subject of the documentary series ABCTV
GRANTS
2010 | Art Start Recipient, Australia Council for the Arts
2006 | KASKE Fellowship Award Winner, Southern Cross University, NSW