CATHERINE NELSON
born Australia 1970, lives France
QUALIFICATIONS
1996 — Bachelor of Fine Art, College of Fine Arts, Sydney
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 — 'Riverbound', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2024 — 'Riverbound', Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney
2022 — 'Distilling the Essence of Landscape', Pingyao International Photography Festival, China
2021 — 'Future Memories 2020', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2020 — 'Future Memories 2020', (virtual exhibition), Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2020 — 'Future Memories 2020', Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney
2018 — 'EveryNoThing', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2016 — 'Submerged', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2016 — 'Submerged', Michael Reid Gallery, Berlin
2014 — 'Expedition', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2014 — 'Expedition', Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney
2014 — 'Future Memories', M Contemporary, Sydney
2013 — 'Other Worlds', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2013 — 'Other Worlds', Julie Saul Project Space, New York
2013 — 'Other Worlds', Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney
2013 — 'Other Worlds', Michael Reid Gallery, Berlin
2012 — 'Other Worlds', Gallery NOW, Seoul, South Korea
2011 — 'Future Memories', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2011 — 'Future Memories', Galerie Paris-Beijing, Beijing, China
2011 — 'Future Memories', Domonik Mersch Gallery, Sydney
2011 — 'Future Memories', Galerie Paris-Beijing, Paris, France
2010 — 'Creation', Australian Centre of Photography, Sydney
CURATED EXHIBITIONS
2026 — 'Infinite Expanses', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2025 — 'Powerhouse: Contemporary Australian Photographers', Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane
2025 — 'Apposite Ground: Kate Ballis, Janet Laurence, Catherine Nelson', RACV City Club Gallery Lounge, Melbourne
2023 — 'In Bloom', Fotografiska, Stockholm
2022 — 'Amazon//Amazon', curated by Ashleigh Jones, Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney
2022 — 'Art and Gender', Justin Art House Museum, Prahran, Victoria
2022 — 'For the Love of Trees', Burrinja Gallery, Upwey, Victoria
2022 — 'Enlighten Festival', Projection on Parliament House, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
2022 — 'Above the Canopy', Hawthorn Town Hall Gallery, Melbourne
2021 — 'Light Years', Basil Seller's Exhibition Centre, Moruya, New South Wales
2021 — 'Return to the Beginning', Horsham Regional Gallery, Horsham, Victoria
2021 — 'Sydney Contemporary: EXPLORE', Gallerysmith, virtual exhibition
2021 — 'Re-Gathering', RACV Collection exhibition, Benalla Art Gallery, Victoria
2020 — 'Sydney Contemporary presents 2020', virtual exhibition, Sydney
2019 — 'Noorderlicht 30 Jaar', Groningen, The Netherlands
2019 — 'Lightyears 1999-2019', Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney
2019 — 'Lightyears 1999-2019', Perth Centre of Photography
2018 — 'Is It Real', Jeonju International Photo Festival, Jeonju, South Korea
2018 — 'IN VIVO', Noorderlicht Photography Festival, Groningen, The Netherlands
2018 — 'Natural/Unnatural', Kortrijk, Belgium
2018 — 'AQUA Miami', Rademakers Gallery
2017 — 'Wall Power: Contemporary Australian Photography', Michael Reid Gallery, Berlin
2017 — 'Hyper-Botanica', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2016 — 'Aquatic Life', Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne
2015 — 'Non Existing Reality', Jennifer Kostuik Gallery, Vancouver
2015 — 'Wall Power: Significant Australian Contemporary Photography', Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney
2014 — 'Human + Graphy', Ulsan International Photography Festival, Ulsan, South Korea
2013 — 'Blake Prize, Director's Cut', Sydney, NSW, Australia
2013 — 'The Poetry of Earth is Never Dead', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2013 — 'Capture Photography Festival', Vancouver, Canada
2013 — 'Australian Landscape: Present in the Now', Michael Reid Gallery, Berlin
2013 — 'Digital Generation', Galerie Paris-Beijing, Brussels, Belgium
2012 — 'Melbourne Art Fair', Gallerysmith, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Australia
2012 — 'Murr-ma', Michael Reid Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2012 — 'Terra Cognita', Noorderlicht Photography Festival, Groningen, Netherlands
2012 — 'Space Oddity', S Cube Gallery, California, USA
2012 — 'South of the Border', Queensland Centre of Photography, Brisbane
2012 — 'Flipside; Australian Photography', Project A7, Sarah Lee Artworks & Projects, LA, USA
2012 — 'Out of the Darkness', Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2011 — 'Hyper Realistic', Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney
2011 — 'Art Paris 2011', with Galerie Paris-Beijing
2011 — 'Magic Spaces', Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2011 — 'Plus One', Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2010 — 'Lake', Lake Macquarie Regional Gallery, Australia
2010 — 'Blake Prize Director's Cut', Sydney, Australia
2009 — 'Future Artist', Nikon Next online exhibition, Japan
AWARD EXHIBITIONS AND COMMISSIONS
2026 — Commission, 36x36m installation, temporary artwork at Istanbul Airport, Turkey
2023 — Commission, 'Planet Wakehurst', temporary artwork for Sussex's Garden Renovation Project in Wakehurst, Kew, UK
2021 — Commission, Silky Oaks Lodge, Daintree National Park, Queensland, Australia
2020 — Finalist, Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize, South Australia Museum, Adelaide
2020 — Finalist, Ravenswood Australian Women's Art Prize, New South Wales
2018 — Finalist, Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize, South Australia Museum, Adelaide
2014 — Finalist, Mandorla Prize, Finalist Exhibition, Perth
2013 — Photographer of the Year, AX3 Awards, USA (global shortlist)
2013 — Finalist, Moreton Bay Art Awards, Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia
2012 — Winner, Gallery NOW Artist Award, Seoul, South Korea
Finalist, Heysen Prize for Interpretation of Place, Hahndorf Academy, Hahndorf, SA
2011 — Winner, Eclectica 2011, Frensham Fellowship Art Prize, Mittagong, Australia
2011 — Finalist, Bowness Photography Prize, Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne
2011 — Finalist, Royal Bank of Scotland Emerging Artist Award, Sydney, Australia
2010 — Winner, Royal Bank of Scotland Emerging Artist Client Choice Award
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS / PRESS
2022 — "'Dazzling' photo montage forms part of Sussex garden's ambitious renovation project", 'ITV', October 5, 2022, https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2022-10-05/dazzling-photo-montage-forms-part-of-ambitious-renovation-project
2021 — Mur, Jorge, "Otros Mundos (English: Other Worlds)", 'Culturamas', March 12, 2021
2020 — Ebert, Grace, "Hundreds of Collaged Photographs Form Rich Botanical Worlds", 'Colossal', August 21, 2020
Foster, Alasdair, "Catherine Nelson: Distilling the Essence of Landscape", 'Talking Pictures', September 5, 2020
Fishman, Susan Hoffman, "Water Worlds", 'Artists & Climate Change', article for the Imagining Water Series, October 26, 2020
Arnold, Amanda, "Catherine Nelson's Digital Collages Celebrate Nature", 'Professional Photographer', December 2020 issue
2016 — Swann, Dee, "Hundreds of Photographs create 'Other Worlds'", 'The Washington Post', August 11, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2016/08/11/hundreds-of-photographs-create-other-worlds/
Mallonee, Laura, "The Magical Underwater World You've Never Seen – And Never Will", 'WIRED', July 14, https://www.wired.com/2016/07/1000-photo-elaborate-underwater-shot/
2015 — Interview with James Valentine, 'The Mix', ABC24, Feb 1, Sydney
2015 — "Distilling the Essence of Landscape", 'Photoworld', Beijing, pp167-177
'Mechademia' (cover), Volume 10, published by the University of Minnesota, USA
Aauvagette, Bernadette, 'Liberation' newspaper, June 2015, Paris, pp 4-5
2014 — "Fractured Worlds", 'The New Yorker', New York, May 2014
2013 — 'Gentre Di Fotographia', Modena, Italy, pp. 8-13
'Financial Review Magazine', Front up, July Issue, France
'Square Magazine', France, pp 46-57
'Premier Magazine', No 11, Vol 10, Beijing
2012 — 'Huffington Post', Arts and Culture, October
'IO DONNA', Rome, Italy
'The Monthly Photo Art Magazine', Vol 283, No. 11, Beijing
'BND Magazine', No 4, Vol 10, Seoul, Korea
2011 — 'Alternative Law Journal' (cover), vol 36 (2), Monash University Press, Melbourne
'La Vie L'Art', Arts Magazine, June - July Issue, France
'Future Memories', Catherine Nelson, 2011, ex. cat., Galerie Paris-Beijing
Aude de Bourbon Parme, "Paris-Beijing, Aller Retour", 'Art Actuel', March - April Issue, France
Next Gen Leadership Series, Catherine Caines, 'WISH magazine, The Australian', May
"Photoshop Til You Drop", Bethany Small, 'Time Out Sydney', February
'Art Paris 2011', Photo, March issue, France
2010 — 'Lake', exhibition catalogue, Malcolm Smith, Lake Macquarie Press, NSW
'RBS Emerging Artist Award 2010', ex. catalogue
COLLECTIONS
Parliament House Collection, Canberra
Artbank Australia
RACV Club, Torquay
Australia Club
City of Sydney Collection
JAHM House Museum collection, Melbourne
David Lowe Collection, Sydney
Daryl Hewson Collection, Queensland
Microsoft, USA
Hyatt Regency, Amsterdam
Lucas Holding Singapore
University of South Florida, USA
Morgan Stanley, New York
Various private collections in Europe, USA, Asia and Australia
