Ara Dolatian

Artist Profile

Biography

Ara Dolatian’s interdisciplinary practice explores the relationship between cultural landscapes and the natural ecosystem. His ceramic works are hybrid ecosystems models of utopian cities and sculptural experiments. Dolatian’s work is also imbibed with numerous ideas centred upon conceptions of ‘the studio’ and the conceptual domain of socio-environmental politics. His latest exhibition, Mythos of the Island is a body of sculptural ceramic work inspired by archaeological relics.

Mythos of the Island examines cultural ecologies associated with lost and stolen artefacts within the Al- Jazira region, the area between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers also known as Mesopotamia. The work is a tangible visual memory of sculptural deities, architectural forms and vessels, the intentions are not to replicate the pieces but draw from them. The ceramic objects are small enough to hold but are not embraceable. Eccentric forms with peculiar colour schemes, pleasing curves and fragile forms inspired by archaeological figures and decayed architectural sites.

Ara Dolatian was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and now living and working in Melbourne, Australia. His sculptural practice is intimately bound to his Iraqi heritage and its ancient Mesopotamian history. Dolatian holds a Bachelor of Fine Art (sculpture) from RMIT and a Master of Social Science Environment and Planning. He has exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally. Among a growing list of accolades, in 2023 Dolatian was a finalist in the Darebin Art Prize and Omnia Art Prize, and in 2022 was a finalist in the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize. In 2021 he was awarded the Incinerator Art Award, as well as receiving a residency as a part of Craft Victoria’s Makers in Residence. In 2023 he was recognised as an important presence in contemporary art in the state of Victoria with his inclusion in Melbourne Now at the National Gallery of Victoria, as well as Craft Victoria’s major exhibition for Melbourne Design Week.

BIOGRAPHY

Exhibitions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 Mythos of the Island, James Makin, Gallery, Melbourne
2022 Scott Lawrie Gallery, Auckland New Zealand
2022 Between Two Rivers, Melbourne Design Week, Melbourne
2021 Artefacts. June, Blindside.
2020 Site With No Real Place Jan at C3 Contemporary Art Space.
2019 Heterotopia, Stockroom, Kyneton, Vic.
2018 Narratives- Realties, fictionalising the present and contaminating the fantastical
wilderness. Melbourne
2017 Controlled Instabilities, Contemporary Art Space, Montevideo, Uruguay.
2017 Progress and Passivity, Five Walls, Melbourne.
2016 Hybrid Terrains, Black Centre AADK, Spain
2016 Reflection as Ideological Hallucination, Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne.
2016 Terrains, Seventh Gallery, Melbourne.
2015 Navigating With Uncertainty, C3 Contemporary art space.
2012 Frame of Reference, RMIT Graduation Exhibition.
2011 Perceptual, First Site Gallery, Melbourne

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023 Masterworks, Auckland, New Zealand
2023 Sydney Contemporary, James Makin Gallery, Carriageworks, Sydney
2023 Omnia Art Prize finalist exhibition, Melbourne
2023 Jugs, Craft Victoria, Melbourne Design Week, Melbourne
2023, The Artist’s Residence, Fred International, Melbourne Design Week, Melbourne
2023 Melbourne Now, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
2023 pride, ANZ Gallery, curated by Camille Klose
2022 Amazon//Amazon, Michael Reid Sydney, Sydney
2022 Same, Same, But Different, Scott Lowrie Gallery, Auckland NZ
2022 Sensations, Scott Lowrie Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2022 Alter, Divisions Gallery, Melbourne
2022 Summer New, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne2021 Darlings, group exhibition, Curatorial +Co, Sydney
2021 Notfair Art Fair, Melbourne
2021 Stockroom, group exhibition
2020 Firstdraft, Online Auction, Sydney.
2019 Tiny World Reunion, group exhibition, curated by the Wandering Room. Melbourne
2019 28 Beasts, group exhibition, curated by Jake Treacy and Ben Taranto. Melbourne
2018 Utopian Tongues, Seventh Gallery, curated by Jake Treacy, Melbourne.
2018 In Motion 2018: Rhythm, presented by AIRspace Projects, Sydney.
2018 Biotic & Apparatus, Stanthorpe Regional Gallery, QLD.
2017 Art in Soil, POP Gallery, Brisbane
2017 Waves, curated by Charlotte Cornish, The Honeymoon Suite, Melbourne.
2017 Notfair, Melbourne.
2017 Anthropoetics of space, Stockroom, Kyneton.
2017 thing in itself // das Ding an sich , curated by Elyse Goldfinch, Wellington St
Project, Sydney.
2017 Stockroom Travels Cremorne Opening, curated group show.
2016 Imagined Worlds, curated by Kent Wilson, Town Hall Gallery Melbourne
2015 Moreland Summer Show, Science Friction, Counihan Gallery Brunswick, curated
group Exhibition
2015 Convergence, Kings Artist-Run, Melbourne.
2015 The Lost One’s Gallery, curated group Exhibition, Ballarat
2015 Construct, Trocadero Art Spac, Melbourne.
2015 Freak of Nature, curated group exhibition at Mailbox.
2014 Assemblages, curated group exhibition at Manningham Art Gallery, Melbourne.
2013 Territories, First Site Gallery, Melbourne.
2012 Crème, curated group exhibition at RMIT School of Art Gallery, Melbourne.
2011 Utopian Slumps, group show, Melbourne.
2011 Living Space. group show. Mr Kitly, Melbourne.
2011 Living Space 2. Platform Art Spaces, Melbourne

Awards

AWARDS, GRANTS & PRIZES

2023 Darebin Art Prize, Melbourne
2023 Omina Art Prize, Melbourne
2022 Finalist, Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Sydney
2022 Arts Projects For Individuals and Groups, Australian Council for the Arts
2022 Finalist, Lake Art Prize, NSW
2021 Incinerator Art Award – Winner
2021 Craft Victoria, Makers in Residence, online Residency.
2020 Covid-19 Quick Response Arts Grant – City of Melbourne.
2020 – 2024 City Of Melbourne, external assessor for Council’s funding programs.
2019 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize.
2019 Career Development Grant, Australia Council for the Arts.
2019 Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Awards.
2017 Art in Soil, Queensland Branch of Soil Science Australia, residency & commission.
2017 Exhibition development grant, Contemporary Art Space, Uruguay, Montevideo.
2017 Highly Commended, Notfair 2017.
2016 Centro Negra, AADK Spain, Residency.
2016 Spring Fashion week, installation, commission.
2015 Navigating with Uncertainty, Darebin Art Prize Finalist.
2015 ArtStart Career Development Funding Recipient. Australia Council for the Arts
2015 Nomad, Commission for Beaumaris Library.
2014 Assemblages, Toyota Art Prize Finalist.
2013 Territories, The Substation Contemporary Art Prize Finalist.
2013 Nomad, Commission for Midsumma Festival and Moreland City Council
2012 RMIT University School of Art Collection.

ARTWORKS

Ara Dolatian Poet 17 2024 Earthenware, glaze 20 x 8 x 6 cm $900.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Poet 16 2024 Earthenware, glaze 22 x 9 x 7 cm $1,100.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Poet 15 2024 Earthenware glaze 24 x 10 x 9 cm $1,100.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Poet 14 2024 Earthenware, glaze 24 x 9 x 9 cm $1,200.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Poet 13 2024 Earthenware, glaze 26 x 9 x 9 cm $1,200.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Poet 12 2024 Earthenware, glaze 31 x 11 x 11 cm $1,400.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Poet 5 2024 Earthenware and glaze 25 x 14 x 10 cm $1,100.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Poet 2 2024 Earthenware and glaze 25 x 13 x 7 cm (each) $2,200.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Relic 2023 Earthenware, glaze, oxide 79 x 33 x 33 cm $8,500.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Umma 2023 earthenware, glaze and oxide 36 x 21 x 16 cm $2,800.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Al iksir 2023 Earthenware, glaze, oxide 37 x 30 x 15.5 cm $2,600.00 ENQUIRE →
Ara Dolatian Su 2023 earthenware, glaze and oxide 34 x 29 x 19 cm $2,800.00 ENQUIRE →