Living and working on lutruwita / Tasmania, Sarah Rhodes explores how the natural environment can shape an understanding of the inner world. Through photography, photograms and moving image, her work investigates the point at which the body becomes inseparable from its environment, using atmosphere as a conduit between perception and place.
Rhodes studied fine art and psychology, gaining her Arts degree from the University of Sydney. In 2023, Rhodes completed a PhD in the School of Creative Arts at the University of Tasmania and was one of five Creative Directors of the Australia Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023. She is the recipient of the Wai Tang Commission for which she prepared a solo exhibition at the Museum of Australian Photography in September 2026 and is a finalist of the National Photography Prize 2026, at Murray Arts Museum Albury, NSW.
CV
Education
2025 ABC Top 5 Media Residency
2023 PhD (Creative Arts) University of Tasmania
2008 Masters of Publishing, University of Sydney
1995 Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art and Psychology) University of Sydney
Employment
2018 - Sessional lecturer in art, University of Tasmania
2020 -2026 Online learning adviser for units in the Design and Communication and Media degrees, Swinburne University Online
2023 - Host and co-producer Art Destinations podcast
Awards and Grants
2026 National Photography Prize MAMA, Finalist
2025 Bowness Photographic Prize, Highly commended
2025 tidal.25 City of Devonport Art Prize, Highly commended
2024-2025 Arts Tasmania Individuals and groups project grant, Subterranean: creative research and development of a project about belonging
2024 Ravenswood Women’s Art Prize, Finalist
2022 tidal.22 City of Devonport Art Prize, Finalist
2022 National Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
2020 Women’s Art Prize Tasmania, Finalist
2020 National Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
2019 National Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
2019 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, Finalist
2019 Bay of Fires Art Prize Tasmania, Finalist
2019 Iris Award, Finalist
2018 National Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
2018 Flanagan Art Prize, Finalist
2016 DUO Magazine Percival Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
2014 Flanagan Art Prize, Finalist
2014 Bay of Fires Art Prize Tasmania, Finalist
2014 National Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
2014 DUO Magazine Percival Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
2014 HeadOn Portrait Prize, Finalist
2012 National Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
2012 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, Finalist
2012 New York Photo Award, Winner
2012 Foto8 Summershow UK
2011 National Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
Commissions
2025 Wai Tang Commission, Museum of Australian Photography
2023 Creative director of unsettling Queenstown, Australia Pavilion, Venice Architettura Biennale with Ali Gumillya Baker, Anthony Coupe, Emily Paech and Julian Worrall
2017 20 New Portraits, National Portrait Gallery ACT, Tony Shaw
2013 Portraits of Aunty Nancy Rooke and artist Treahna Hamm, Murray Arts Museum Albury
2008 The Artist's Lunch: At home with 18 of Australia's most celebrated artists, Alice McCormick and Sarah Rhodes, Murdoch Books
Solo shows
2026 The Inner Sky, Wai Tang Commission, Museum of Australian Photography
2026 Chamber of Projection II, Lightbox Salamanca Arts Centre Hobart
2023 A Surrounded Beauty, Bett Gallery online, May-June
2022 A Surrounded Beauty, Plimsoll Gallery UTAS PhD examination, November
2021 The Symphony of Light and Dark, Sawtooth ARI,
2021 We are in the Same Dream, Photo Access, Canberra
2013-2017 Home/On Country, Albury City LibraryMuseum touring show to Hurstville Museum & Art Gallery, Moira, Jervis Bay Maritime Museum, Liverpool Library, Moree Plains Gallery, Gallery Lane Cove
2012-2015 Play, Australian Centre for Photography, INQB8, Mandurah Contemporary
Group shows
2026 40th anniversary Summer Show, Bett Gallery Hobart
2024 A Surrounded Beauty and Inhale/Exhale as part of the Ireland pavilion Venice Architecture Biennale touring show at Solstice Gallery, Ireland
2024 unsettling Queenstown, Design Tasmania
2023 unsettling Queenstown, Creative Director of Australia Pavilion, Venice Architecture Biennale
2022 Flow, Sawtooth ARI and Huon Valley
2022 Dragline Silk, Queenstown, (co-curator Emmalie Kyle)
2022, Meta, UTAS Academy Gallery
2022 Echoes Lumina, Biennale of Female Photography Italy
2021 Portrait of an Interior, Poimena Gallery, Launceston Grammar, July – August
Collections
AlburyCity
Mandurah City Collection (Western Australia)
Museum of Australian Photography
Museum Victoria First Peoples permanent exhibition National Library of Australia
National Portrait Gallery
Private collections