Laurence Philomene is a non-binary artist from Montreal who creates colourful photographs informed by their lived experiences as a chronically ill transgender person. Their practice celebrates trans existence and studies identity as a space in constant flux via highly-saturated, cinematic, and vulnerable images.
Gaining an interest in image-making in their teenage years, Laurence has since used photography as space to both experiment with, and document identity as it comes to be expressed through gender. Using photography as a process of mutual [and self] care, their work aims to humanize identities that have been historically marginalized, and act as a love letter to their community.
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Laurence is an honouree of The 30 (“PDN 30” - 2020), recipient of the Getty Images Creatives In Quarantine Bursary (2020), the Lucie Foundation emerging artist scholarship (2019), and the 2020 Women Photograph mentorship program. Their work has been presented in numerous exhibitions and publications worldwide, including solo exhibits in Canada, Germany, France, and Poland.
Clients include Apple, The New Yorker, CBC, Vice, Washington Post, Refinery29, Teen Vogue, Showtime, Courrier International, City of Montreal, Massivart, Netflix, Beats by Dre, Airbnb & more.
Laurence’s first monograph Puberty is currently available for pre-order via Yoffy Press
Interview in The New Yorker (Fall 2021)
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Official print store + Large framed prints via Galerie COA
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Press / Bookings / Licensing / Exhibitions: laurencephilomenephoto@gmail.com
Large prints : info@galeriecoa.com
Member of Women Photograph
CV
Education & Training
2021 Women Photograph 2021 workshop - online
2020 Women Photograph 2020 workshop - online
2020 Women Photograph 2020 mentorship class - Recipient (mentee) - USA
2019 In House Outer Space - 10-day artist residency - Reykjavik, Iceland
2014 - Dawson college - Professional Photography degree - Montreal, Canada
Awards & Distinctions
2020 The Burtinsky Grant - Honourable mention - Canada
2020 The 30 (formerly PDN 30) 2020 Honoree - USA
2020 Getty Images : Creatives in Quarantine bursary - USA
2019 Lucie Foundation Emerging Artist Scholarship - USA
2019 Artsida 9 - Emerging artist award - Canada
2018 Adweek - Creative 100 list - USA
2017 Lucie Foundation Emerging Artist Scholarship - Shortlist - USA
2014 Flickr 20 under 20 - Curator’s choice award - USA
Selected Press & Interviews
Books
2021 Laurence Philomene : Puberty - Yoffy Press - USA - first edition of 1,000 - Monograph - Pre-order here
2020 New Queer Photography: Focus on the margins - Verlag Kettler - Germany - first edition of 1,000 - Anthology - Purchase here
2020 "Boys Boys Boys" - teNeues/Mendo - first edition of 5,000 - Anthology - Purchase here
2015 - Unlocked - ATOPOS - Greece - first edition of 4,000 - Anthology - Purchase here
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 Puberty - Galerie COA - Montreal, Canada
2020 Les Essentiels - Massivart (public art installation) Jarry Park - Montreal, Canada
2019 Huldufólk & Puberty - La Cenne - Montreal, Canada
2018 Me vs others - The Letter Bet - Montreal, Canada
2018 No girls / no boys / no nothin - Nosna Gallery - Kracow, Poland
2018 It is what it is (with Starchild Stela) - Xpace Cultural Centre - Toronto, Canada
2017 Non-binary portraits - Cogalleries, presented by Curated by Girls - Berlin, Germany
Selected Group Exhibitions & Collections
2022 The Journal - Foto Wien - Vienna, Austria
2021 “Lava Field, Huldufólk” work acquired - Musée Pointe à Callière [permanent collection], Montreal, Canada
2021 In Keeping with Myself - Portrait Gallery of Canada - Ottawa, Canada
2021 Foire papier (contemporary art fair) - Galerie COA - Montreal, Canada
2020 Two Way Lens: Portraits as Empathy - Humble Arts Foundation (online) - USA
2020 The Journal: Women Photographers Respond to COVID-19 - Photoville / Brooklyn Bridge Park - NYC, USA
2020 Portrayals of queer love - Artsy (online) - USA
2020 New Visions (Fotografiska NY x VICE) - Fotografiska Museum NY - NYC, USA
2020 Yearning for Comfort, Not Cure - Gallery 1C03, The University of Winnipeg - Winnipeg, Canada
2019 Under the anti lies the body - Slowroom Contemporary - Copenhagen, Denmark
2019 Currents (curated by Forge Art Mag) - Mount Analogue - Seattle, USA
2019 Chromatic festival (10th edition) - Usine C - Montreal, Canada
2019 Artsida 9 - Musée d’art contemporain - Montreal, Canada
2018 Possible Selves: queer foto vernaculars - The Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) - Williamstown, USA
2018 The Vice Magazine 2018 Photo Show - Parasol Projects - New York, USA
2018 Phi Fest - Fabrica Del Vapore - Milan, Italy
2017 Instagram Jam / Month of Photography Los Angeles - Lucie Foundation - Los Angeles, USA
2016 We, Other - Pop Montreal - Montreal, Canada
2016 What A Time To Be Alive - Sunday x Slow Culture - Los Angeles, USA
2015 Same - Stream Gallery - New York, USA
2014 Flickr 20under20 - Milk Studios - New York, USA
2014 The Coven presents : Girlhood - La Centrale Gallerie Powerhouse - Montreal, Canada