ARTIST BIO

Nicola Kinloch is a New Zealand-born multidisciplinary fine artist based in Melbourne, Australia. With an artistic practice and a design career spanning 30+ years, she has a wealth of experience working in a variety of digital and traditional disciplines such as film and digital photography, installation, video, textile art, and design. 

Best known for her photographic work, Kinloch captures a candid, natural perspective of the world around her. Her passion for photography began when she was four years old after being captivated by the imagery in National Geographic magazines that she found in her grandparents’ home. This influenced her distinct style today, sparking her life-long desire to travel, experience the world and photograph Earth’s many wonders.

When deciding on her studies for University, Kinloch was intrigued by the creative opportunities offered in Australia. Moving out of New Zealand, she decided to study Multimedia at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, majoring in video, she graduated in 1998. 

It was not until 2010 that Kinloch dedicated her time and efforts to building her photography and artistic practice. Enrolling in a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Photography at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University. In her final year, she was shortlisted for the Siemens RMIT Fine Art Scholarship Award and since then has been nominated for a variety of National and International awards. 

In 2016 Kinloch’s work was among the top-rated portfolio entries for the Magnum Photography Awards. Her portraiture, wildlife, and travel photography have been a candidate for numerous other photographic awards, such as the Olive Cotton Award, Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year, Magnum Photography Award, and International Colour Awards.

Today, Kinloch’s art captures glimpses of the diversity in people, nature, and objects, reflecting subtle nuances in their cultural environment. Drawn by themes of the gaze, public versus private, and nature conservation, many of her works are inspired by and taken during her travels abroad. 

The inquisitive quality of her photographs evokes a subtle perspective on certain cultural and environmental topics that sometimes go by unnoticed. They encapsulate a raw, emotional moment that reveals and creates an authentic space for her subject matter.

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