Abigail Varney (b. 1986) is a photographic artist based in Melbourne/Naarm, Australia, where she currently resides. She holds a Bachelor of Arts at Deakin University, an Advance Diploma at Photography Studies College and since 2020, is a member of the photography collective Oculi. During the recent PHOTO 2022 festival in Melbourne Abigail was a commissioned artist on the steps of the Victorian Parliament. She also worked as an artist and a curator for ACTS I-VII at Benalla Art Gallery. Her long-term documentary project, Rough & Cut exhibited in Australia and Internationally became her first Photobook in 2022 published by Trespasser in Texas. The Build Up was featured at the Caboolture Regional Art Gallery in Queensland in 2022, at the Centre for Contemporary Photography in Melbourne in 2019 and became a finalist in the Australian Photography Awards stories selection in 2020. She was also a finalist in the National Portrait Prize in 2022. Recent international publications include; The New York Times, Die Ziet Magazine, Racquet Magazine and in Australia,The Guardian, Australian Geographic and The Big Issue.
Clients
New York Times
The Guardian
ABC
Australian Geographic
The Financial Times London
Libération, France
Die Ziet, Germany
The Big Issue
Racquet Magazine, NYC
Airbnb
Nike
State Library of Victoria
Melbourne University
Market Lane Coffee
Women Onsite
Architectus
Clemenger Melbourne
Hotel Hotel
Studio Esteta
Contact
email ~ abigail.varney@gmail.com
phone ~ +61 418 648 188
Get in touch for all custom prints, here
I respectfully acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation as the traditional custodians of the land in which I work and share my creative practice. I pay my respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait as the first people of Australia.
Group Exhibitions
Rough & Cut, Ballarat International Foto Biennale, 2023
Speculative Horizons, group show, Kuwait, 2023
SWELTER, Caboolture Regional Art Gallery, Queensland, 2022
Rough&Cut, Salamanca Arts Centre, Tasmania, 2022
Obfuscation & Delineation, In collaboration with Clinic Gallery, Tokyo 2022
The Portrait, Blindside gallery, PHOTO 2022, Melbourne, 2022
An Unscripted Recording, Parliament steps, PHOTO 2022, Melbourne, 2022
ACTS I-VII, Benalla Gallery, PHOTO 2022, Benalla, 2022
National Portrait Prize 2022, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, 2022
Another Thing To Look At While You’re Out Getting Groceries, Hillvale, Melbourne, 2021
STAGES: life in Lockdown, Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne, 2021
MMCV19, At the Above, Melbourne, 2020
Sub/Solar, Rewind Photo Lab. Sydney, 2020
23ºc and Rising, The bakehouse Project, Melbourne, 2019
Rose Rouge, Tokyo, 2019
PALM* PHOTO PRIZE, London, 2019
23ºc and Rising, Centre of Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, 2019
TRAIN/ENNIAL, c3 Contemporary Art Space Annual Fundraiser, Melbourne, 2018
Keep the fire burning, Hillvale, Melbourne, 2018
Schoolhouse Studios Fundraiser, Melbourne, 2018
CCP fundraiser : The Art of Collecting, Centre of Contemporary Photography, Melb, 2018
CCP Salon Instagram Competition, Centre of Contemporary Photography, Melb, 2017
Schoolhouse Studios Fundraiser, Melbourne, 2017
Super Tamade, Schoolhouse Studios, Melbourne, 2017
Rough & Cut, Head on Festival 2017, Paddington Reservoir, Sydney, 2017
CCP Salon 2016 Centre of Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, 2016
Four Walls, Brunswick street Gallery, Melbourne, 2016
Head on Extended, GkJE Galleries, Sydney, 2015
Saturn Returns, Long Division Gallery, Melbourne, 2015
Head on Festival Landscape Finalist, Parliament House, Sydney, 2015
CCP Salon 2015, Centre of Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, 2015
Four Corners, Photography Studies College, 2015
All the young Dudes, Belconnen Arts Centre, Canberra, 2014
Promo: Portraits from primetime, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, 2014
Solo Exhibitions
Rough & Cut, SPACE PLACE, Nigni Tagil, Russia, 2019
Greybilly, Nishi Gallery, Canberra. 2018
Sand & Glitter, Neo Space IPF, Melbourne, 2016
Rough & Cut, Tinning st, Melbourne, 2015
METIS, Colour Factory, Melbourne, 2014
Eyes For You, Tinning st, Melbourne, 2013
Awards
Foam Paul Huf Award, Nomination, 2023
National Portrait Prize, Finalist, 2022
Australian Photography awards, 2020, Finalist
PHOTO 2020 x Perimeter International Photobook prize, Finalist, 2019
Palm Photo Prize, Finalist, 2019
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, Semi finalist, 2019
MACK First Book Award, nominee, 2018
Bloom, OPEN Shortlisted for Judge’s Favourite, 2018
Perimeter small book prize Finalist, 2018
CPP Salon Winner : Best Landscape, 2015
Head On Festival Landscape Finalist, 2015
Education
Advanced Diploma, Photography Studies College, 2010-2011
Bachelor of Arts, Deakin University, 2004-2008
Other
Curation, ACTS I-VII, Benalla Gallery, Benalla, 2022
Judge, 2021 APA Documentary judging committee, 2021
Guest lecturer, Photography Studies College, 2021
Judge, Australasia’s Emerging Photographers, Capture Magazine, 2021
Mentor, Photography Studies College, 2020
Speaker, Lyceum Club Photography Circle,Melbourne, 2018-2022
Workshop facilitator, National Gallery Victoria, Canberra, 2014
Internship, Mary Ellen Mark Studios, New York City, 2013