Born Melbourne 1970
Debbie Symons is a multidisciplinary artist whose work utilizes environmental data to investigate and interrogate mankind’s ecological conundrum and the discourse pertaining to this situation. Born in Melbourne, Symons’ formative training was at Victoria College Prahran (VCA) in the fields of painting and printmaking; she is currently completing a PhD on Anthropocentrism and the Environmental Dilemma at Monash University.
Symons’ video works have been exhibited internationally and nationally, through the International Urban Screen Association; London, Madrid, Korea, Barcelona, New York, New Zealand & Brisbane. She is currently working with the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to investigate the effects of business development/growth on Red List animal and plant species. Recent projects based on this research have been support by the Australia Council for the Arts.
Solo Exhibitions
2011 Making Sense, exhibiting partner Jasmine Targett, Craft Victoria,
Melbourne
2011 Arrivals / Departures, Trocadero Art Space, Footscray
2010 Profits / Populations – It’s all Numbers (Amazon Rainforest), Urban Screen, Federation Square, commencing
World Environment Day, June 5, 2010 till July 10, 2010.
2009 World Species Market, 2009, 10 Urban Screens, Global Exhibition.
Nov 9th – Dec 5th.
2009 World Species Market, 2008 Urban Screen, Federation Square.
World Environment Day.June 5th - 4th July.
2009 Losing the Unique, exhibiting partner Jasmine Targett, Shifted
Gallery, Richmond, Victoria.
2009 Inside the Realm of Invisible Spheres, exhibiting partner Jasmine Targett, C3 Contemporary Art Space, Abbotsford Convent, Abbotsford.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2011 Lorne Sculpture 2011 – Lorne at Night, Lorne
2011 Albury Digital Art Outdoor Gallery, QEII Square, Albury, NSW.
2010 Williamstown Festival Contemporary Art Prize, Finalist, The
Substation, Williamstown.
2009 Linden Postcard Show, Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts,
St Kilda.
2008 The Secret Life of Numbers – The 2008 Ellen Mileo Contemporary
Art Prize – Finalist. 69 Smith Street Gallery,
Collingwood.
2008 30x30x30 Staff & Students of the Faculty of Art & Design, Monash
University Faculty Gallery, Caulfield East.
2005-07 Lighthouse Foundation Charity Auction & Exhibition, The Cherry
Tree Hotel, Richmond.
Publications
2011 Artabase, Debbie Symons uses video art to highlight endangered
animal species, Artabase Blog, January 31
2010 SymbioticA – Adaptation, Biodiversity Art Online Showcase -
Debbie Symons, Adaptation Blog, November 21.
2010 ArtLink, Changing Climates. Editor Stephanie Britton. Dec –Feb
2010 edition
2009 The Age, The Bells Tolls for Species around the Globe and the
terrible truth can be charted at Fed Square, Dr. Robert Nelson.
June 9.
2009 Melbourne Jeweller, Losing the Unique at Shifted, K.Thompson.
September 18.
2009 Melbourne Jeweller, Inside the Realm of Invisible Spheres at
c3 Contemporary Art Space. K.Thompson, July 16.
2008 Monash University Art & Design Postgraduate Course Catalogue
– Student Profiles
Awards & Grants
2010-11 Australian Postgraduate Scholarship Award Monash University
2010 Monash University Travel Grant $3000.
2009 New Work–Emerging Artist Grant, Visual Arts Board of the
Australia Council for the Arts - $10,000.
2009 Monash University Research Publication Grant.
2008 Letter of Commendation from the Board of Examiners,
Faculty of Art and Design, Monash Uni.
Professional Related Experience
2010 Tipping Point participant - Melbourne
2010 Environmental Change – Cultural Change –
Bath University U.K. Paper presented.
2008- 11 Research with the International Union for the Conservation
of Nature and Natural Resources.
2008 & 09 Research and development with the International Urban
Screens Association.
2007 & 06 Project assisted for the Lighthouse Foundation Gallery Auction.
Education
July2008-12 Currently completing a PhD- Fine Art – Drawing, Faculty
of Art and Design, Monash University.
Feb 2008 Graduate Certificate in Visual Arts – Monash University.
1990-1992 Bachelor of Fine Arts – Painting, Victoria College Prahran.
1988-1989 Advanced Certificate of Art and Design, Box Hill
College of Technical and Further Education.
Professional Memberships
National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) – Member since 2008.
Synapse – The Australian Network for Art & Technology ANAT – Member since 2011.
