Mark Purdom’s photographic work, while a commentary on people’s influence on the environment, also plays with our concept or arguably our preconceptions of the picturesque. Mark is originally from England and since moving to New Zealand, he has participated in various group and solo exhibitions at home and internationally.
Purdom is recognised for his work by the New Zealand National Contemporary Art Awards, Renaissance Photography Prize, Association of Photographers UK, Royal Photographic Society, International Photography Awards, New Zealand Photobook of the Year and the Portrait Salon Awards UK. He has exhibited at the Month of Photography (MOPLA) - Los Angeles USA, Athens Photography Festival - Greece, I Book Show - St Petersburg, Russia, J Book Show - Cork Photo Festival, Ireland, Singapore International Festival of Photography, Auckland Festival of Photography and the Xian Art Museum, China.
Mark has a Masters in Photography from the University of Brighton, England. Currently, he is a lecturer and researcher at the School of Media Arts (SOMA), Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Finalist New Zealand Contemporary Art Award: 2022
Finalist & Bronze Award - Best Awards: 2022
Finalist New Zealand Contemporary Art Award: 2021
Finalist Designers Institute of New Zealand, Best Awards (Mimetic): 2018
Finalist New Zealand Contemporary Art Award: 2018
Finalist (and commended) New Zealand Photo Book of the Year: 2017
Finalist New Zealand Contemporary Art Award: 2017
Finalist International Photography Awards: 2017
Winner Designers Institute of NZ Best Awards for Graphic Design (From Certainty to Doubt Book): 2016
Finalist International Photography Awards: 2016
Winner New Zealand Photobook of the Year: 2015
Finalist Renaissance Photography Prize, UK: 2015
Finalist New Zealand Contemporary Art Award: 2015
Finalist New Zealand Contemporary Art Award: 2014 (two works)
Finalist New Zealand Contemporary Art Award: 2013
Portrait Salon Awards, UK: 2012
New Zealand National Contemporary Art Awards: 2004/5/6/8
Association of Photographers, UK: 1995/6/8/2001(silver)
Royal Photographic Society, UK: 1997 (two works)
Mark Purdom has exhibited at the Auckland Festival of Photography - NZ, Month of Photography (MOPLA) - Los Angeles USA, Athens Photography Festival - Greece, I Book Show - Taiga Gallery, St Petersburg, Russia, J Book Show - Cork Photo Festival, Ireland, Singapore International Festival of Photography and the Xian Art Museum, China.
2021
- NZ Contemporary Art Award, Waikato Museum, Hamilton, New Zealand.
-Rauhī, Ramp Gallery, Hamilton New Zealand. 5.7.21-9.7.21
2020
- Group exhibition BBA gallery Berlin, Germany
- International Photography Awards (online exhibition)
2019
- Protect, Resist, Transform, (AIPA/Greenpeace exhibition) Auckland Festival of Photography, Auckland, New Zealand. 31.5.19-9.6.19 photographyfestival.org.nz
- Fissure, Auckland Festival of Photography (Multimedia work with Kent MacPherson & Paul Nelson) Auckland, New Zealand. 31.5.19-8.6.19 photographyfestival.org.nz
- Month of Photography LA (MOPLA) photo book exhibition, House of Lucie LA, Califonia, USA. 11.4.19-29.4.19 monthofphotography.com/exhibitions-2019
2018
- Indelible, Waikato Museum, Hamilton, New Zealand. 27.10.18 - 9.12.18 waikatomuseum
- Singapore International Photography Festival. 6.9.18 – 9.12.18 sipf
- NZ Contemporary Art Award, Waikato Museum, Hamilton, NZ. 4.8.18 - 28.10.18 art_awards
- H.R. Gallop at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia. 25.5.18 - 10.6.18
- Snow White Gallery, Unitec, Auckland, NZ. 1.5.18 - 6.5.18 snowwhite gallery
- J Book show, Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork, Ireland. 14.4.18 - 15.4.18 j-book-show
- Photobook NZ, Te Papa, Wellington, NZ. 9.3.18 - 10.3.18 photobookoftheyear-nz
2017
- From Certainty to Doubt, Ramp Gallery, Hamilton, NZ. 4.12.17 - 15.12.17 ramp-gallery
- NZ Contemporary Art Award, Waikato Museum, Hamilton, NZ. 29.7.17 - 5.11.17 - NCAA
- I Bookshow, Taiga Gallery, St Petersburg, Russia. 18.8.17 - 20.8.17 - I Bookshow
- I Bookshow+, Brighton Studio, Brighton UK. 5.5.17 - I Bookshow+
- Xi'an Art Museum, China. 29.4.17-14.5.17.
- MOPLA Exhibition, Venice Arts, Venice CA, USA. 7.1.17 - 29.1.17 - MOPLA
2016
- Blue Roof Museum, Chengdu, China. 24.9.16 - 23.10.16. - blueroof museum
- Photobook Show, Athens Photo Festival, Benaki Museum, Greece. 9.6.16 - 31.7 - photobook-exhibition
- H.R. Gallop Gallery, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia 4.7.16 - 22.7.16.
- Open Book, Ramp Gallery, Hamilton NZ. 28.4.16 - 13.5.16. - Ramp Gallery
- Maud Gallery, Brisbane, Australia 14.4 - 24.4.16. - Maud Gallery
- New Zealand Photobook of the Year - Winner 11.3.16. - photobookoftheyear.co.nz
2015
- Renaissance Photography Prize, Getty Images Gallery, London, UK. Finalist - 17- 28.11.15.- www.renaissancephotography.org (Catalogue)
- Open Book: RM Gallery, Auckland NZ. 04.11.2015 - 21.11. Physics Room, Christchurch 05.12.16 -30.1.16. - physics room
- NZ Contemporary Art Award, Waikato Museum, Hamilton, NZ. 18.7.15 - 1.11.15 - www.national-contemporary-art-award (Catalogue)
- Photobook Show, Athens Photo Festival, Greece, Benaki Museum. 3.6.15 - 26.7.15 -photofestival.gr/photobooks
2014
- Survey Hamilton, Waikato Museum, Hamilton. 23.8.14 - 23.11.14.
- NZ Contemporary Art Award, Waikato Museum, Hamilton. 9.8.14 - 9.11.14. - www.Art award (Catalogue)
- Small Press (Under book), Ramp Gallery, Hamilton. 8.5.14 - 23.5.14. - www.ramp gallery
- F Book Show, 72Gallery, Tokyo, Japan. 26.3.14 - 13.4.14. - f-book-show
2013
- New Zealand Contemporary Art Award, Waikato Museum, Hamilton. (Catalogue)
- The Care Factor, Calder & Lawson Gallery, Hamilton, NZ - www.the-care-factor
- Under, Ramp Gallery, Hamilton NZ (Solo Exhibition) - www.ramp gallery
2012
- MA degree show, University of Brighton Gallery, Brighton (Catalogue)
- Déjà vu, The Dentist Gallery, London (Part of Photo London Month)
- Portrait Salon, Roxy Bar and Screen, London - www.portrait salon (Catalogue)
2011
- Survey Hamilton, Ramp Gallery, Hamilton, NZ
2010
- Ten Raglan Artists, Artspost Hamilton, NZ
- Free for All, Ramp Gallery, Hamilton, NZ
2009
- Silver Footprint, Independent Photographers Gallery, Battle, England. (Catalogue)
- Silver Footprint, Richard Young Gallery, London (Catalogue)
- Detours, Artspost Gallery, Hamilton, NZ
- When was the last time you did something for the first time? Ramp Gallery, NZ
2008
- New Zealand National Contemporary Art Award. (Catalogue)
- Jet Collective Gallery, Raglan, NZ
2007
- Jet Collective Gallery, Raglan, NZ
2006
- New Zealand National Contemporary Art Award. (Catalogue)
- Jet Collective Gallery, Raglan, NZ
2005
- New Zealand National Contemporary Art Award. (Catalogue)
- ArtsPost Gallery, Hamilton, NZ
2004
- New Zealand National Contemporary Art Award. (Catalogue)
- Platform 01, Hamilton, NZ
- ‘Stopover’, Tonic Gallery, Tauranga, NZ
2003
- Jet Collective Gallery, Raglan, New Zealand
2002
- AOP Awards International Touring Exhibition, London, UK & Europe. (Catalogue)
2001
- Association of Photographers Awards, London (Silver Award Catalogue)
Bursaries
Fuji Films/AOP Photographic Bursary