The Outside Gallery 
I AM. by Keren Dobia

View the images and read the stories

The Art & Industry Festival's latest project, I AM. by Keren Dobia at The Outside Gallery is due to close in October. The Outside Gallery is a vibrant installation experience where culture, creativity and imagination are unlocked and celebrated.

I AM. is a large-scale photographic portrait series by Keren Dobia whose larger-than-life portraits are a feast for the eyes, inviting you to jump into the rabbit hole that is Dobia’s “more is more” portrait style. Through her portraits and accompanying stories, you can discover the personal spaces and personalities that make up a cross-section of rich creative communities. Keren’s background in painting, drawing and fashion design allow her to create intricate environmental portraits, that often blur the line between photography and illustration. Keren’s creativity extends to the design and fabrication of costumes and sets. With a natural attention to detail and her award-winning photographic skills Keren moulds her inspirational work from concept to completion.

“Before taking a photo, I interview the subject, usually in the home to see if that is the best place to take the photo,” she explained. “I will style it there if suitable, otherwise I will create or build a space to do the shot, sometimes making the costumes and the props. It’s not just turning up and taking a photo – for most of my photos I spend half a day to a full day to create the setting, and then about 10 minutes to shoot if it all goes to plan. I try to create the images in the camera.”

Keren was awarded the 2017 AIPP Australian Professional Photographer of the Year and the 2018 AIPP Victorian Portrait Photographer of the Year, with images from her I AM. portrait series.

I AM. is the fourth exhibition to be held at The Outside Gallery- a unique arts space of large-scale, permanent light boxes which allows art-lovers to view spectacular illuminated art from a distance in an open outdoor space. The series has been curated by Bindi Cole Chocka as part of her residency with the Art & Industry Festival.

Following the launch you will also be able to view the portraits and read accompanying stories on this website.

These large scale, dynamic images will light up and run as an exhibition every night at The Outside Gallery, Paine Reserve, 1 Market Street, Newport (next to the Newport Bowls Club) from Saturday 24 April until end of January 2022. 

View the images and read the stories