I acknowledge the traditional owners and sovereign custodians of the land on which I create, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. I extend my respect to their Ancestors and all First Peoples. I acknowledge and extend my respect to the land, plants, animals and waterways that make up country.
Yandell Walton (she/they) is a multi-award-winning artist based on Wurundjeri Country in Melbourne who creates embodied moving image works with various presentation outcomes, including immersive and interactive installations. Her work is known for blurring lines between the real and the virtual, and exploring ideas of impermanence in relation to environmental, social and political issues.
Yandell's work has been widely exhibited in galleries and non-traditional public spaces across Australia and internationally including ART+CLIMATE=CHANGE Festival (Melbourne),Rising Festival (Melbourne), Dark Mofo (Hobart), Light City Festival (Baltimore, USA), VIVID Festival (Sydney), White Night Festival (Melbourne), Experimenta Speak to Me Biennial of Media Art, and PUBLIC Festival (Perth). International Symposium of Electronic Art (Sydney & Brisbane)
Her recent projects navigate the intersections of performance and visual arts, developing innovative workflows that integrate human movement with plant life. This research began during her tenure as the inaugural Phillip Hunter Fellow and through the Australian Network for Art and Technology's IDEATE grant.
︎EMAIL: contact(at)yandellwalton.com
CV
QUALIFICATIONS
2014 Masters of Fine Art (Research) Victorian College of the Arts
2004 Masters of Fine Art (Coursework), RMIT
2002 Honours (First Class), RMIT
1999 Bachelor of Fine Art, Monash Uni, Melbourne
COMMISSIONS
2024 Zone Red, Plinth Project City of Yarra (In production)
Human Effect (V2), Science Gallery Melbourne University
2023 Dissonant Terrain, Solo Exhibition, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery
2022 Time Reveals the Unseen, Interactive immersive commission, MOD. Museum Adelaide
2021 End Passage, Flash Forward Creative Laneways commission, City of Melbourne & Victorian State Government
Terrain, Site specific moving image commission for Sidney Myer Music Bowl: Rising Festival
Ecological Encroachment, Victoria Together / TarraWarra Museum of Art online commission
2020 Breath, 5 channel site specific work for PITCH Festival
2019 Digital Agora Public art commission for Nillumbik Council – Creative Suburbs Creative Victoria
2018 Foreign Objects, commissioned for RIFTS: Particulate Matter, Testing Grounds
2016 Departed, site-specific public projection: Wagga Wagga City Counci
When Your Were Here, Urban Laboratory: site responsive public interventions: RMIT & City of Port Philip
2015 Transition, site-specific public projection Urban Laboratory: RMIT
2014 Absent Presence, interactive public artwork: Townsville City Council
2010 Landfill, Public projection: Albury City
2007 Fragile Cargo, Public projection installation: Frankston City
2006 12 exits, Public projection: Frankston City
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024 When We Are One, International Symposium of Electronic Art Brisbane Powerhouse
Transient Entanglement, Digital Graffiti Florida
An Experiment in Co-Becoming, Science Gallery Melbourne University
2023 Human Effect, Group exhibition Always and Altered, Benalla Art Gallery
Multi-Species Convergence (Still), Still: National Still Life Award 2023 at Yarrila Arts and Museum
2022 Uprise, O-C-E-A-N Drift Festival Mornington Peninsula
Move Me 2022, Renew Docklands empty shop activation
Deadline, group exhibition Degrees of Concern at ANU Gallery Canberra
2021 Shifting Surrounds, Solo exhibition at NorthSite Contemporary Cairns
A Strange Space, group exhibition Collingwood Yards produced by Centre for Projection Art
2020 Uprise ONLINE, online exhibition Fluidity presented by Incinerator Gallery Melbourne
Submerged, Group exhibition Tertulia at Blindside gallery Melbourne
2019 Shifting Surrounds, Solo exhibition at The Substation Melbourne
2018 Foreign Objects, RIFTS: Particular Matter Testing Grounds Melbourne: Commissioned artwork
Matter, The Return Dark Mofo Hobart
2017 Human Effect, Art+Climate=Change 2017 Festival Melbourne: public projection
Resonance, Site specific project Robin Boyd House in Walsh Street Melbourne: solo exhibition
Submerged, Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne: public projection
2016 Human Effect, Light City Festival Baltimore: site specific public projection
Departed, Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne: public projection
1500 per second, Digital Graffiti Florida: site specific public projection
Bon Voyage, Digital Graffiti Florida: site specific public projection
Nightwalkers, Peel Street Projections Melbourne: public projection
Water on tap, Glow Festival Melbourne: public projection
2015 Impermanence Collaboration, Melbourne: dual channel video installation
Flight, Acland Street Projection Festival Melbourne: site specific public projection
Transition, Glow Festival Melbourne; Wall of Art Chin Chin Melbourne; Design For Impact Festival Melbourne
Human Effect, Digital Graffiti Florida: site specific public projection
Exodus, White Night Festival Melbourne: site specific public projection collaboration with Kirrily Anderson
2014 Transition, Gertrude Street Projection Festival, Melbourne: site specific public projection
Impermanence, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne: 4 channel site-specific projection installation
In Your Dreams, Counihan Gallery Melbourne: projection installation in group exhibition
Human Effect, Public Festival Perth; Experimenta Speak To Me, QUT Brisbane: site specific public projection
2013 Remains, Centre For Contemporary Photography Melbourne: video installation in group exhibition
Innocence Of The Apocalypse, Melbourne: Installation in collaboration with Kirrily Anderson
Infinitum, Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne: projection installation
Human Effect, Vivid Festival & International Symposium of Electronic Art (ISEA) Sydney: site specific projection
Still Present, White Night Festival Melbourne: site specific public projection
Moment, OUTSIDE Midsumma Festival Melbourne: projection installation in collaboration with Lauren Dunn
2012 Human Effect, Melbourne Festival and Experimenta Speak to Me: site specific projection
Life:Death, Gertrude St. Projection Festival Melbourne: site specific projection
Fullmoon, Digital Graffiti Festival Florida: projection
Aves Insecta, L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival: projection installation
Shift, No Home Fashion and Film Project Melbourne: short film
2011 BYOB, Tristian Koenig Gallery Melbourne: projection installation in group exhibition
From All Over, Digital Graffiti Festival Florida: projection
Hands, Street Projection Festival Melbourne: projection installation, collaboration Naomi Tettmann
Closed Door, Dianne Tanzer Gallery and Projects Melbourne: video installation
Collaboration 4 Eva More, Center for Contemporary Photography Melbourne
2010 From all Over, Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne: projection
Night Walkers, Digital Graffiti Festival Florida: projection
Darkness, SUB12, The Substation Melbourne: site specific projection installation in group exhibition
2009 Ur My Dream Grl, Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne: projection in collaboration 4 Eva More
Journey (New York City), Gershwin Hotel New York: site specific video installation
2008 Beyond The Window, BUS Gallery Melbourne: projection installation in collaboration with Clare Hasett
Out Of It, Gershwin Hotel New York: projection
Cargo 08, L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival: site specific public installation
2007 Transcendent, Centre of Contemporary Arts Cairns: projection installation in group exhibition
Windows, Jenny Port Gallery Melbourne: site specific projection
Inside (Berlin), Transit Lounge Berlin: site specific projection
2006 Inside (house) Cube, Frankston Arts Centre Melbourne: site specific projection
Inside The Empire, Next Wave Festival Melbourne: site specific projection
12 Exits, Center for Contemporary Photography Melbourne: site specific projection
AWARDS
2025 BigCi Environmental Award, (Upcoming)
2024 Special Recognition Award, Digital Graffiti Florida
2022 Commended, Lorne Sculpture Biennale’s SculptureSCAPE
2019 Highly Commended & People’s Choice Award, Darebin Art Prize
2018 Finalist, Nillumbik Art Prize
2017 Winner Judges Choice, Gertrude Street Projection Festival
Finalist, Keith & Elizabeth Murdoch Travelling Scholarship
2016 Finalist, Substation Contemporary Art Prize
Special Recognition Award, Digital Graffiti Florida
2015 Finalist, Sunshine Coast Environmental Art Award
Highly commended, Sunshine Coast New Media Art Award
Winner Best of Show, Digital Graffiti Florida
Finalist, Linden Art Prize
2014 Winner Windsor Art Prize, Windsor Hotel Melbourne
Recipient NGV Women’s Association Award, VCA
Recipient Spiritous Award, Abbotsford Convent Foundation
2013 Best Video Work, Centre for Contemporary Photography Salon
Australian Postgraduate Award
GRANTS
2023 Creative Victoria Creators Fund
2022 Creative Victoria Arts grant
Australia Council for the Arts new work grant
City of Melbourne quick responce arts grant
2021 Australia Council for the Arts new work grant
2020 Creative Learning Partnerships Creative Victoria grant, Hume Secondary College
IDEATE recipient, Australian Network for Art and Technology
Phillip Hunter Fellowship, Melbourne University (Victorian College of the Arts)
City of Melbourne Quick Response Arts Grants (Covid-19 support)
Australian Council Resilience Grant
2018 Australian Council New Work Grant
2017 Melbourne City Council Arts Grants
2015 Ian Potter Travel Grant
Yarra City Council Arts Grant
2012 Melbourne City Council Arts Grant
Yarra City Council Arts Grant
2010 Yarra City Community Arts Grant
2008 Australia Council Skills & Arts Development Grant
Melbourne City Council Arts Grant
2006 Australia Council RunWay Grant
2005 Melbourne City Council Youth Arts Grant
RESIDENCIES
2023 Bundanon arts residnecy (Upcoming)
Chunky Move Minimax development residency
2022 Labverde Immersion program Amazon Rainforest Brazil
City of Melbourne Boyd Studio residency
2018 Phasmid Studio Residency Berlin
The SUBSTATION Melbourne (part two)
2017 Centre for Projection Art Robin Boyd Walsh Street residency Melbourne
The SUBSTATION Melbourne (part one)
2016 Digital Graffiti, Florida
2015 Holocenter Governors Island New York
2012 National Gallery of Victoria Studio Residency, Federation Square Melbourne
2009 Laughing Waters, Nillumbik Council
Gershwin Hotel, New York
COMMUNITY COLLABORATION/WORKSHOPS/CURATION
2022 Collaboration with RAWCUS for a performance part for Midsumma
2021 Masterclass in projection art, NorthSIte Contemporary Cairns
2020 Reflect Project collaborative artwork commission and youth program City of Dandenong
Lead artist/coordinator Signal ScreensxSound Online Commissions, Signal City Of Melbourne
Mentor for residency program Centre For Projection Art
Curator ‘Light Windows’ public art group exhibition and online exhibition
Masterclass in projection art, LIT Festival Toowoomba
Lead Artist and facilitator Queer In Kingston
Masterclass in Projection art, Victorian Colledge of the Arts
2019 Studio Subject 3rd year Interior Design, Architecture and Design, RMIT
Lead artist/coordinator Signal Screens Commissions, Signal City Of Melbourne
Masterclass in projection art, Centre for Projection Art
2018 Lead Artist and facilitator Digital Agora Youth Program
Lead artist/coordinator Signal Screens Commissions, Signal City Of Melbourne
Masterclass in projection art, Centre for Projection Art at Testing Grounds Melbourne
2017 Tutor/Mentor, Master Creative Art student, Polytechnic
Lovely Mess Youth theatre production with projections, Moonee Valley Council
Masterclass in projection art, Centre for Projection Art at Testing Grounds Melbourne
Curator, Group exhibition 'Another Space' for Centre for Projection Art at Testing Grounds Melbourne
Coordinator, Signal Screen Commission, City of Melbourne
2016 Curator Melbourne Projection Space, Dark Horse Experiment
Inside Out, Facilitate projection workshops for youth in the Signal Summer program
Coordinator/Mentor, Signal Screen Commission, City of Melbourne
Nightlights, Master Class in projection and Mentor program, City of Wagga Wagga
Emerging Artist Mentor, Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne
2015 Co-curator, Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne
Co-curator, The New Vanguard, Seventh Gallery
Master class in projection art, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Public Art
2014 Co-curator (Volunteer), Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne
2013 Coordinator/Mentor, Signal Screen Commission, City of Melbourne
Co-curator OUTSIDE, Midsumma Festival Melbourne
Curator 4 x 4 Projection Festival, Ferdydurke Melbourne
Artist Coordinator (Volunteer), Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne
2012 ‘You and I’ youth workshops, Yarra Ranges Victoria
Bamiyarra workshops, Signal, City Of Melbourne
Urban Mesh Workhouse, Signal, City Of Melbourne
2011 InBetween, Facilitate workshops for Public Projection, Ten Days On The Island Tasmania
Emerging artist mentor, Gertrude Street Projection Festival/City Of Yarra
Mentor Rudder Program, Jesuit Social Services
Facilitator WOW workshops, Signal, City Of Melbourne
Artist coordinator (Volunteer), Gertrude Street Projection Festival Melbourne
2010 Mentor, Trinity Boys Grammar
Facilitator studio workshops, Signal City of Melbourne
Facilitator Searchlight, workshop at Signal, Collaborative projection animation
PUBLICATIONS
Speculative Ecologies, Labverde residency publication, 2022
https://www.labverde.com/_files/ugd/7ea7d9_7fa1eafe394f4b989ef41768d7e33eb6.pdf?lang=en
Kelly Gellatly. 2022. “Yandell Walton: Dissonant Terrain.” Art and Australia 58, no.1
https://artandaustralia.com/58_1/p169/yandell-walton-dissonant-terrain
Bronwyn Johnson & Kelly Gellatly. 2021. “Art + Climate = Change”. Melbourne University Press
Emma McRae. 2019. “Yandell Walton Social Change”. Assemble Papers
https://assemblepapers.com.au/2019/05/30/yandell-walton-social-change-small-and-large/
Molly Chen. 2019. ‘Art & Environment”. Art Magazine Taiwan.
https://www.artist-magazine.com/edcontent_d.php?lang=tw&tb=8&cid=882&id=9335
Davina Jackson. 2015. “SuperLux: Smart Light Art, Design & Architecture for Cities. Thames & Hudson