I pay my respects to the Braiakaulung, Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung, and Bunurong First Peoples and acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners of the Country that I call home. I acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded and that we must all continue to fight in the global struggle to dismantle imperialism, colonialism, and white supremacy.
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Born 1991 on the Gunaikurnai Nation in Traralgon, Victoria.
MJ Flamiano is a visual artist, creative producer and arts worker of Anglo and Filipino ancestry with roots in Luzon and the Visayas.
She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art (First Class Honours) from Monash University Art Design and Architecture and a Diploma of Library and Information Services from Victoria University. She endeavours to present critical and often playful investigations into sites and their cultural significance. Her present focus is on exploring Filipinx histories and diaspora through solo and community projects in printmaking, video, installation and text.
She is a Creative Director of Saluhan Collective, a Filipinx/o artist collective based in Naarm, along with Catherine Ortega-Sandow and Founder Aida Azin. She is also a Co-Director of Pagbasa Archive with Catherine Ortega-Sandow, a new Filipinx archive of text, art, object, film and sound based at Mission to Seafarers. She is a member of Sunshine Print Artspace Artist Collective and currently works at Incinerator Gallery.
Selected exhibitions
2024 | (Forthcoming), Mainit Illusion exhibition by Saluhan x Liquid Architecture, featuring artists Catherine Ortega-Sandow, Kenneth Suico, Mariam Ella Arcilla, Raquel Solier (Various Asses), Neil Cabtaingan (Kuya Neil), Del Lumanta, Ranima Montes, and MJ Flamiano, Arts House, Melbourne
2023 | Archival aesthetics exhibtition by Saluhan, SEVENTH Gallery, Melbourne
2021 | B-SIDE 2021 - BLINDSIDE ARI, Melbourne
2020 | B-SIDE 2020 - BLINDSIDE ARI, Melbourne
2020 | Incinerator Art Award 2020, Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne
2019 | The bone is the seed, solo exhibition, SEVENTH Gallery, Melbourne
2019 | Of sampaguita, ilang-ilang, group exhibition with Lesley-Anne Cao and Czar Kristoff, c3 Artspace, Melbourne
2018 | Bayanihan, group exhibition with Christobel Elliott, Lauren Bok, Leah Jing McIntosh, Mimo Mukii, Nithya Nagarajan, SB, Sha Gaze, Sophia Cai, Teagan Ollett-Nash, Victoria Nicole Cini, and Yasbelle Kerkow for the Emerging Cultural Leaders Showcase 2018, Footscray Community Arts Centre, Melbourne
2018 | In the air (video work), collaboration with CB Mako and performance by Walter Kadiki, curated by The Suburban Review for NIDANights: Iteration, Melbourne
2018 | Stretched banners, solo exhibition and workshop, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Metro Manila
2016 | I was not informed, collaboration with Jacqui Gordon, Tace Kelly & translators, C3 Artspace, Melbourne
2016 | Just visiting, performance with Jacqui Gordon & Tace Kelly, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne
2014 | MADA Now, Honours Graduate Exhibition, Melbourne
2014 | Miami, group exhibition curated by Sandra Di Palma, The Walls, Gold Coast
2014 | Coming soon, group exhibition, West Space, Melbourne
2013 | MADA Now, BFA Graduate Exhibition, Melbourne
2012 | The Murrumbeena Archive, Murrumbeena Exchange Project in collaboration with James Taylor, Melbourne
Arts work
2021 - Present, Community Arts Officer, Incinerator Gallery
2016-2021, Visual Arts Coordinator, Kingston Arts
Curated
2024 | (Forthcoming), Mainit Illusion exhibition by Saluhan x Liquid Architecture, featuring artists Catherine Ortega-Sandow, Kenneth Suico, Mariam Ella Arcilla, Raquel Solier (Various Asses), Neil Cabtaingan (Kuya Neil), Del Lumanta, Ranima Montes, and MJ Flamiano, Arts House, Melbourne
2023 | Archival aesthetics exhibtition by Saluhan, SEVENTH Gallery, Melbourne
2017 | Superhero workshop and exhibition program in collaboration with Vipoo Srivilasa and 12 community participants, Kingston Arts Centre Galleries, Melbourne
2017 | Contents, group exhibition, Tia Ansell, Tim Bučković, Caspar Connolly, Katrina Dobbs, Amalia Gray Lindo and Georgie North, Kingston Arts Centre Galleries, Melbourne
Residencies
2022 | Artist-in-residence, Watch This Space ARI, Alice Springs
2022 | Residence (Saluhan), Footscray Community Arts
2022 | Barrio x Saluhan, Siteworks, Melbourne
2020 | An imprint in her color, residency project, BLINDSIDE, Melbourne
2018 | The Cultural Center of the Philippines, Pasay City, Metropolitan Manila
Produced
2023 | Pagbasa Archive Launch and readings at Mission to Seafarers in collaboration with Founder and co-Director, Catherine Ortgea-Sandow
2023 | I fear for my books launch community collection of Filipinx texts at SHELF, Arts Gen / co-Health
2022 | Silog Workshops, cooking + printmaking workshops, Bridge Darebin
2022 | Dialekto Workshops, artist-led community workshops, Siteworks, Melbourne
2022 | When the typhoon blows of its cocoon, the butterfly embraces the sun, a cinema series featuring contemporary Filipinx artists inspired by the legacy of Kidlat Tahimik with Q&A led by producer Mimo Mukii, Footscray Community Arts, Melbourne
2021 | Agimat, community screenprinting workshops, Sunshine Print Artspace & St. Alban’s Community Centre, Melbourne
2019 | Insurge by New Wayfinders and curated by Isabella Whāwhai Waru. This exhibition featured new work by visual, sound, and performance artists of Oceanic descent, commissioned by Kingston Arts as part of Melbourne Fringe.
2019 | Crafty Queers, artist residency and exhibition program for Midsumma Festival featuring Nicholas Smith and Anna Dunnill, Kingston Ceramics Studio and Arts Centre Galleries, Melbourne
Community
2021 | Kwentong Migrante (Migrant Stories) with Migrante and Anakbayan Melbourne (Mentor), Melbourne
2018 | Emerging Cultural Leaders, Footscray Community Arts Centre, Melbourne
Writing & Interviews
2023 | ABC Radio National The Art Show episode: Care ethics + Can joining an art collective make you happier? Interview with MJ Flamiano and Catherine Ortega-Sandow of Saluhan Collective
2023 | 5 Questions with Saluhan featuring Catherine Ortega-Sandow, MJ Flamiano, and James Emmanuel McKinnon by Liminal Magazine
2018 | Interview #79 - MJ Flamiano by Leah Jing, Liminal Magazine
2016 | Export Quality: An exchange with The Office of Culture & Design (extended version), Michelle James in conversation with Clara Lobregat Balaguer and Kristian Henson. Published by Un Magazine for issue 10.2. Flamiano James (MJ) is a visual artist, curator and community arts worker, currently based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia.
Grants & Awards
2022-2023 | Medium Grants - Creative Projects, City of Darebin
2021 | Sustaining Creative Workers Initiative, Regional Arts Victoria & Creative Victoria
2021 | Carstairs Prize with Saluhan, National Association for the Visual Arts
2021 | Art Spaces Activation Funding, Brimbank Council
2020 | Shortlisted for the Incinerator Art Award at Incinerator Gallery
2019 | Shortlisted for the QUT Digital Literature Award with CB Mako for ITERATION - Part 3/Chapter 3 published by The Suburban Review
2014 | Monash University Jubilee Honours Scholarship
2013 | Monash University Edith Rose Memorial Award