With the advent of digitisation and the passing of ‘peak camera’, photography’s
ubiquity now threatens its fixity as art. When chiaroscuro is but one of myriad
digital effects, when erasure is built into the host platform’s algorithm, how does
the photographic image sustain value beyond the experience of its capture? Does it remain a valid form of visual expression? This series continues my interpretative response to the work of the Dutch Masters, but enlists landscape elements to further my investigation of notions of permanence within contemporary digital photography. By placing the classically familiar figure in inhospitable, timeless environments, the work contemplates what constitutes lasting value in art making, and whether or not photography’s modern digital expression risks its legacy as lasting cultural artefact.
Tomasetti’s work is widely collected privately here and abroad, and is held in the collections of the SA Art Museum, WA Art Museum, ArtBank, Albury Regional Art Gallery and the Chekhov Museum, Moscow.
In 2006 Tomasetti was a finalist in The Archibald Photographic Portrait Prize, and in 2007, 2009 and 2011 was a finalist in The National Portrait Gallery Photographic Prize. In 2014 she received her Masters in Photography from Sydney College of the Arts.
Among other recognitions, Tomasetti was awarded an Australia Council studio residency in Besozzo, Italy; the SA Dept. for the Arts Grant, and has been published in such publications as Eyeline #59 (Dr Melissa Miles, 2006) Look, Contemporary Australian Photography since 1980 (Dr Anne Marsh, 2011), and Starstruck: Australian Movie Portraits (Ed. Karen-Jayne Eyre, National Portrait Gallery 2017).
Parallel to her arts practice, Tomasetti has worked for many years as a highly sought after stills photographer in film and television. Her many credits include Shine, Star Wars: Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Dirty Deeds, Dead Heart, Mystery Road (series 1), Truth, Top of the Lake (series 2), Charlotte’s Web, and The Sapphires.
For the last 11 years Tomasetti has been the international tour photographer for The Australian Ballet, touring to New York, Beijing, Paris, San Francisco and Tokyo. Lisa also continues to work as production photographer for many of Australia’s foremost arts institutions including Opera Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir St theatre, The Adelaide Festival of Arts, and the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Tomasetti’s work is currently featured in the National Portrait Gallery’s Starstruck exhibition, touring nationally throughout 2019-2020.
With the advent of digitisation and the passing of ‘peak camera’, photography’s
ubiquity now threatens its fixity as art. When chiaroscuro is but one of myriad
digital effects, when erasure is built into the host platform’s algorithm, how does
the photographic image sustain value beyond the experience of its capture? Does it remain a valid form of visual expression? This series continues my interpretative response to the work of the Dutch Masters, but enlists landscape elements to further my investigation of notions of permanence within contemporary digital photography. By placing the classically familiar figure in inhospitable, timeless environments, the work contemplates what constitutes lasting value in art making, and whether or not photography’s modern digital expression risks its legacy as lasting cultural artefact.
Tomasetti’s work is widely collected privately here and abroad, and is held in the collections of the SA Art Museum, WA Art Museum, ArtBank, Albury Regional Art Gallery and the Chekhov Museum, Moscow.
In 2006 Tomasetti was a finalist in The Archibald Photographic Portrait Prize, and in 2007, 2009 and 2011 was a finalist in The National Portrait Gallery Photographic Prize. In 2014 she received her Masters in Photography from Sydney College of the Arts.
Among other recognitions, Tomasetti was awarded an Australia Council studio residency in Besozzo, Italy; the SA Dept. for the Arts Grant, and has been published in such publications as Eyeline #59 (Dr Melissa Miles, 2006) Look, Contemporary Australian Photography since 1980 (Dr Anne Marsh, 2011), and Starstruck: Australian Movie Portraits (Ed. Karen-Jayne Eyre, National Portrait Gallery 2017).
Parallel to her arts practice, Tomasetti has worked for many years as a highly sought after stills photographer in film and television. Her many credits include Shine, Star Wars: Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Dirty Deeds, Dead Heart, Mystery Road (series 1), Truth, Top of the Lake (series 2), Charlotte’s Web, and The Sapphires.
For the last 11 years Tomasetti has been the international tour photographer for The Australian Ballet, touring to New York, Beijing, Paris, San Francisco and Tokyo. Lisa also continues to work as production photographer for many of Australia’s foremost arts institutions including Opera Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir St theatre, The Adelaide Festival of Arts, and the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Tomasetti’s work is currently featured in the National Portrait Gallery’s Starstruck exhibition, touring nationally throughout 2019-2020.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 PHOTO 2024, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
2020 Happy After Ever, BMGART, Adelaide
2019 Happily After Ever, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2019 Happily After Ever, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
2016 The APPlication of Mercy, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2015 The APPlication of Mercy, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
2015 The Australian Ballet on Tour, .M Contemporary, Sydney
2013 The Australian Ballet on Tour, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
2013 The Australian Ballet on Tour, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2011 Burnt Memory, Harrison Galleries, Sydney
2009 Burnt Memory, Hoopers Art Gallery, London
2008 Unwritten Skin, Gallery 101, VIC
2007 Unwritten Skin, Byron McMahon Gallery, Sydney
2007 Unwritten Skin, 1918 Artspace, Shanghai
2006 Of Blessed Memory, Gallery 101, Melbourne
2005 Vanilla and Misfortune , Byron McMahon Gallery, Sydney
2005 Vanilla and Misfortune, Gallery 101, Melbourne
2002 First Kiss, Monash Art Gallery, Melbourne
2002 First Kiss, Byron Mapp Gallery, Sydney
2000 First Kiss, Volvo Gallery, Sydney
2000 Silent Breath, Stills Gallery, Sydney
1998 One, The Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide
1998 One, Robert Lindsay Gallery, Melbourne
1998 One, First Draft Gallery, Sydney
1996 Broken Places, Stills Gallery, Sydney
1996 Broken Places, Greenway Art Gallery, Adelaide
1995 Quench, Contemporary Art Centre, Adelaide
1995 Thirst, Robert Lindsay Gallery, Melbourne
1994 Piacere, The Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide
1993 Passion, The Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Dancer, National Portait Gallery, Canberra
2018 StarStruck, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
2016 Luminance, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2007 Clearings, Gallery 101, Melbourne
1994 AGFA Photographic National Touring Exhibition, NSW
1993 Men in Space, Union Gallery, S.A
1992 Recent Acquisitions, Art Gallery of South Australia
1992 Real Fictions, Art Gallery of South Australia
AWARDS / GRANTS / RESIDENCIES
2023 2 Honourable Mentions, Julia Margaret Cameron Photography Prize
2023 Honourable Mention Fine Art Photography Awards
2023 Gold Winner London photography Awards
2023 Finalist The Olive Cotton Photo Prize
2021 Top 5 Jury Selection International Photography Awards
2021 Honourable Mention International Photography Awards
2020 Finalist Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize
2020 Honourable Mention Paris Photo Awards (PX3)
2020 Honourable Mention Tokyo Foto Awards
2019 Winner, International Creative Communication Competition, Los Angeles
2019 Finalist, Bowness Photographic Award, Monash Gallery of Art, VIC
2018 Honorable Mention, International Photography Award, Los Angeles
2017 Honourable Mention International Photography Awards
2015 Honourable Mention International Photography Awards
2011 Finalist, National Portrait Gallery Photographic Prize, Canberra
2009 Finalist, National Portrait Gallery Photographic Prize, Canberra
2007 Finalist, The Inaugural William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize, Monash Gallery of Art, VIC
2007 Finalist, Albury National Photographic Portrait Prize, Albury Regional Gallery, NSW
2007 Finalist, Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Art Gallery, QLD
2006 Finalist, Archibald Photographic Portrait Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
1993 Australia Council Studio, Besozzo, Italy
1991 Exhibition Materials Grant, S.A. Department for the Arts
1991 Travel Grant, Photographer, British Theatre Companies, S.A. Department for the Arts
Opening Hours
Wednesday–Saturday
12pm–5pm
or by appointment
James Makin Gallery recognises the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the sovereign custodians of the land on which we operate. We pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.