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Dr Melissa Miles

Position title

  • Research Fellow, Theory of Art & Design

Qualifications

  • PhD Monash
  • BA Hons Monash

Statement

Melissa Miles' research spans art history, critical theory, philosophy and cultural studies. Her research papers have been published in the Journal of Visual Culture, Word and Image, Southern Review, The International Journal of Art and Design Education and The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art, and she is a regular contributor to Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts. Current large-scale research projects include photography in public space, and the relationships between light, presence and place in the history of Australian photography. Melissa's book, The Burning Mirror: Photography in an Ambivalent Light, focuses on the unsettling qualities of light in photographic history, theory and practice, and was published by Australian Scholarly Press in 2008.

Research/Professional activities

Recent Grants

  • 2010-14
    • ARC Discovery Grant, ‘Light, place and presence in the history of Australian photography' $324,000
  • 2009-12
    • ARC Linkage Grant, ‘Photography as Crime' $105,000
    • CIs: Assoc. Prof. Anne Marsh, Dr Daniel Palmer, Dr Melissa Miles and Dr Mark Davison
  • 2009
    • Australia Council New Work Grant (Established) $20,000

Book

  • Melissa Miles, The Burning Mirror: Photography in an Ambivalent Light. Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Press, 2008. ISBN: 978 1 74097 196 6.

Book Chapter

  • 'Skin Deep', in Peta Clancy, Paper Thin. Melbourne, 2009.
  • Peter Booth and the Subtleties in the Epic', in Julie Ewington (ed.), Brought to Light II: Contemporary Australian Art 1966-2006. Brisbane: Queensland Art Gallery, 2007, pp. 432-439.

Refereed Articles

  • ‘The Drive to Archive: Conceptual Documentary and Photobook Design', Photographies, Volume 3, Number 1, Spring 2010.
  • ‘Focus on the Sun: The Demand for New Myths of Light in Contemporary Australian Photography,' Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art, Volume 9, Number 1 / 2, Special Issue: ‘21st Century Art History', September 2009, pp. 220-239.
  • ‘ARTEMIS: Reinvigorating History and Theory in Art and Design Education,' International Journal of Art and Design Education, Volume 28, Number 1, February 2009, pp. 52-60.
  • ‘Sun-pictures and Shadow-play: Untangling the Web of Gendered Metaphors in Lady Elizabeth Eastlake's ‘Photography,' Word and Image, Volume 24, Number 1, January-March 2008, pp. 42-50.
  • ‘The Burning Mirror: Photography in an Ambivalent Light,' Journal of Visual Culture, Volume 4, Number 3, 2005, pp 329-349.
  • ‘Shirin Neshat and the Limits of Authenticity,' Southern Review, Volume 37, Number 1, 2004, pp. 5-20.

Recent Published Essays

  • ‘Whose Art Counts?', Art Monthly Australia, Number 224, October 2009, pp. 5-8 [lead article].
  • ‘Second Nature: Design and the Natural World', Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 68 Autumn 2009, pp. 52-55 [cover story].
  • ‘Art is Photomedia 21C,' Doingbird, Number 13, 2008, p. 16.
  • ‘Catherine Bell: Cooking Up Crimes and Maternal Misdemeanors,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 65, Summer 2007/2008, pp. 46-48.
  • ‘Lily Hibberd. Endless Summer: Sunglasses and the Spectacle of Vision,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 64, Spring 2007, pp. 38-39.
  • ‘Peta Clancy: Skin and the Supple Boundaries of Self,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 61, Spring 2006, pp. 44-45.
  • ‘Sally Smart: The Exquisite Pirate,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 60, Winter 2006, pp. 38-39.
  • ‘‘The Darkened Tomb of Memory': Lisa Tomasetti's Photography,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 59, Summer 2005-2006, pp. 16-18.
  • ‘Illusions of Grandeur: Highlights of the 2005 Melbourne International Festival Visual Arts Program,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 59, Summer 2005-2006, pp. 45-47.
  • ‘Alternative Spaces, Alternative Histories: Revisiting Three Artist-Run Initiatives,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 58, Spring 2005, pp. 25-27.
  • ‘Graham Fletcher's Infectious Hybridity,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 57, Winter 2005, pp. 57-58.
  • ‘Spatial Collaborations: New Commissions at ACCA,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 56, Summer 2004/2005,pp. 38-40
  • ‘Danielle Thompson: Marks of Light,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 53, Summer 2003 - 2004, pp. 30-31.
  • ‘Peter Kennedy: Urban Illuminations,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 52, Spring 2003, pp. 25-27.

Recent Catalogue Essays

  • Solid States/Liquid Objects, exhibition catalogue, Richmond: Shifted Gallery, 2009.
  • Seeing is Not Understanding, exhibition catalogue, Horsham Regional Art Gallery, 2009.
  • Josephine Kuperholz: Blight, exhibition catalogue, Melbourne: Gallery 101, 2009.
  • ‘Light, Writing and Other Lies', Testing Ground, exhibition catalogue, Melbourne: fortyfivedownstairs, Sally Smart: Decoy Nest, New York: Postmaster Gallery, 2008.
  • Sally Smart: The Exquisite Pirate, exhibition catalogue, Sydney: Kaliman Gallery, 2007.
  • Peter Booth, Melbourne: The Melbourne Art Fair Awards for the Visual Arts, 2007.
  • Unwritten Skin, exhibition catalogue, Sydney: Byron McMahon Gallery, 2007.
  • Inhabitation, exhibition catalogue, Melbourne: Australian Galleries, 2006.
  • Danielle Thompson: Place, essay accompanying video work on DVD, Launceston, 2005.
  • Danielle Thompson: Solace, exhibition catalogue, Sydney: Stills Gallery, 2005.

Recent Reviews

  • ‘Annette Messager: The Messengers', Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 68 Autumn 2009, p. 70.
  • Perfect for Every Occasion: Photography Today,' Flash, March-June 2007, pp.5-6.
  • ‘Mathew Sleeth: Pictured,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 61, Spring 2006, p. 58.
  • ‘Satellite of Love (I Like to Watch Things on TV),' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 58, Spring 2005, p. 45.
  • ‘Transitions: Space and Perception,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 57, Winter 2005, p. 46.
  • ‘The Line Between Us: The Maternal Relation in Contemporary Photography,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 56, Summer 2004/2005, pp. 50-51.
  • ‘City of Light: Paris and Photography 1850s-1930s,' Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, Number 55, Spring 2004, pp. 48-49.

Recent Conference Papers

  • ‘The Art of Contextual Mobility: Rethinking Photography, Privacy and Public Space,' Photographies: New Histories, New Practices, ANU in conjunction with Vivid: National Photography Festival, 10-12 July 2008.
  • ‘Contemporary Taxonomies: Conceptual Documentary and the Photobook,' Art Association of Australia and New Zealand (NSW Chapter) Conference, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 14 July 2007.
  • ‘Staring at the Sun: Light, Glare and Presence in Contemporary Australian Photography,' Art Association of Australia and New Zealand conference, Faculty of Art & Design, Monash University, Caulfield, 9 December 2006.
   Staff Profile

Contact details:

p: +61 3 9903 2886
email Melissa