About

I am a queer visual artist working with analogue photography. Over the last twelve years of my practice I have built an international network of collaborators, exploring themes of physicality, queer identity & creativity as a means of processing trauma. I use historical photographic processes to bring a tangible, tactile presence to my portraits & self-portraits. I make work that is provocative, challenging & intimate. I believe it’s important to show people & bodies as they really are, unfiltered & genuine.

In 2022 I presented my solo show “Icons: A Portrait Sacrarium to Sex Workers Rights” at the independent arts venue The Horse Hospital in London, which also hosted an evening of performances by sex worker art collective FemmeDaemonium responding to the show.

In 2021 I was the category winner for Non-Professional Nude & Figure at the 17th Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, was awarded third prize in Photography from the Mediterranean Contemporary Art Prize and exhibited in their finalist exhibition, received a Silver award in Fine Art/Nudes from Prix de la Photographie Paris and a Bronze award from Budapest International Photo Awards, I was shortlisted for the Vienna International Photography Awards, was published in The Photo Review 2021 Competition Edition and received Honourable Mentions in 4 other awards.

In 2020 I was awarded a grant by Groundwork London to deliver a new project for the Join the Docks Festival, for which I produced a series of glass plate portraits. I also received a Gold Award from the San Francisco Bay International Photo Awards, a Bronze Award from the Tokyo International Foto Awards, & Honourable Mentions in 9 other international awards. I had work exhibited in Photos de Femmes seeingWOMEN Awards exhibition, & Foto Femme United’s C*nsorsh*p exhibition, both in France.

In 2019 I was awarded residencies for Mediterranean Contemporary Art Prize in Italy & Verzasca Foto Festival in Switzerland, but these have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the residency I also received a Special Mention of the Jury Award from the Mediterranean Contemporary Art Prize, & participated in the exhibition held in Castel Lagopesole, Italy, supported by the Porta Coeli Foundation. I was also a semi-finalist in the Head On Portrait Prize & exhibited at Head On Photo Festival in Australia.

selina@selinamayer.com