Deborah Ralph-Kafarela

Biography

Deborah Ralph-Kafarela, is a mid-career multidisciplinary professional artist in Fremantle, Western Australia. As a Change Maker, Ralph-Kafarela has project managed and facilitated large scale sculptural installations, co-designed with professional Artists and co -created with Community to drive innovative solutions towards actioning human rights, giving voice to the voiceless. "Artists are keepers of time, visual historians of their era, and depict through their use of materials and the symbolism used their individual perspective of human interaction, their cultural and religious observation". Her influences are Rick Lowe Project Row Houses- permanent housing, lifting communities out of poverty and place activation. Kathe Kollwitz and Ai Weiwei with their stories of culture and injustice. J Kirk Richards and Giuseppe's use of minimalist approaches to material to represent myth/story.

Solo Exhibitions

2019
Multa Plenty Art Project

Midland Junction Arts Centre, Multa Plenty Art Project, Project Manage, Artist in Focus Residency/Exhibition, Midland, WA

2018
I am Deborah Ralph

Juniper Gallery, Darlington, Western Australia

2016
Lines of Communication, Open 21 October 2016, Mezzanine Gallery, 2 Montrose Ave , Darlington, WA

Open 21 October 6:30pm at Mezzanine Gallery, 2 Montrose Ave, Darlington, WA.

Group Exhibitions

2022
Walk a Day in My Shoes

Shelter WA Artist in Residence, Walk a Day in My Shoes, Exhibition, The Platform, Perth WA Design- Denise V Brown Project Management and Facilitated Art Workshops Deborah Ralph-Kafarela

2021
With These Hands

Mandorla Art Award, Finalist, Due to COVID19 Exhibition will be 2021, WA.

2021
Street to Street Phase One and Retrospective

Artsource, Old Customs House, Fremantle WA Deborah Ralph-Kafarela Artist in Residence at Shelter WA Community Art Workshops and Co-Design Denise V Brown Jeanette Garlett

2019
Stories

Kalgoorlie/Boulder Gallery, Kalgoorlie/Boulder Art Prize Finalist, Kalgoorlie, WA.

2019
I Played to Remember Home

Darlington Arts Festival, Darlington Open Art Awards, Darlington, WA.

2018
Contour

Juniper Gallery, Darlington , Western Australia

2018
Reserve Art Prize

'You and I' Reserve art Prize, Darlington Arts Festival

2018
Consignment Exhibition

Busselton CourtHouse Gallery, Busselton, Western Australia

2018
The Annual Collection

Juniper Gallery, Darlington, Western Australia

2018
Galvanize

Artsource Annual Exhibition, Old Customs House, Fremantle, Western Australia

2018
Mainly Miniatures

Juniper Gallery, Darlington, Western Australia

2017
Ravenswood Australian Womens Art Award

Professional Finalist, 'Petitioning',Sculptural Installation, NSW.

2017
Bassendean Visual Art Awards

Winner (Acquisitive) Open Art Award

2016
Darlington Arts Festival

Community Open Arts, Western Australia

2015
Hooked

The Cool Room, East Victoria Park, WA

2015
SODA, Grad Show, Curtin University

Graduation Exhibition, Curtin University, WA

2015
First Look, Buratti Fine Arts, Subiaco, Western Australia

Invited Artist,Buratti Fine Arts, Subiaco, Western Australia

2015
Past and Present, All Saints College Visual Art Staff, Bullcreek, Western Australia

Invited Artist, All Saints College Visual Art Staff, Bullcreek, Western Australia

2014
Mezzanine Art, Darlington, Western Australia

Invited Artist,Mezzanine Art, Darlington, Western Australia

2014
Rebirth, 51st Invited Artist Exhibition, Darlington Arts Festival, Darlington, Western Australia

51st Invited Artist Exhibition,Darlington Arts Festival, Western Australia

2014
Melville Art Awards 2014, City of Melville, Western Australia

City of Melville, Western Australia

2013
Interface, Advanced Diploma of Applied Enviromental Arts Exhibition, Junction Gallery, Midland, Western Australia

Advanced Diploma Applied Enviromental Art Graduation Exhibition,Polytechnic West Midland, Western Australia

2013
Gidgegannup Agricultural Art Show, Gidgegannup, Western Australia

Gidgegannup, Western Australia

2013
Shire of Mundaring Open Art Acquisition, Mundaring Arts Centre, Western Australia

Invited artist, Mundaring Arts Centre, Western Australia

2012
Darlington Open Art Exhibition, Darlington Arts Festival, Western Australia

Darlington Arts Festival, Darlington, Western Australia

2012
Sculpture Survey, 29th Annual Exhibition, Gomboc Gallery Sculpture Park, Middle Swan, Western Australia

29th Annual Exhibition,Gomboc Gallery Sculpture Park,Middle Swan, Western Australia

2012
Wundowie Iron Festival Art Exhibition, Wundowie, Western Australia

Wundowie Iron Festival Art Exhibition, Wundowie, Western Australia

2012
Liminalia, Junction Gallery, Midland, Western Australia

Junction Gallery,Midland, Western Australia

2012
Gidgegannup Agricultural Art Exhibition, Gidgegannup Agricultural Show, Gidgegannup, Western Australia

Gidgegannup Agricultural Show, Gidgegannup, Western Australia

Awards

2017
Bassendean Visual Art Awards

Acquisitive Open Art Award, 'Petitioning', Sculptural Installation

2012
Darlington Open Art Exhibition

Darlington Open Art Exhibition,Darlington Art Festival, Sculpture Furniture and Ceramics Highly Commended (Judges Mention)

2012
Darlington Open Art Exhibition

Darlington Open Art Exhibition,Darlington Art Festival, Printmaking and Drawing Highly Commended

Collections

Lucidity (mixed media)

Raft of Madonna IV &V

SODA Curtin University

Solo Exhibition Sold Out Show

Petitioning

I am Deborah Ralph

Reserve Art Prize

Commissions

2013 - 8
12 Days of Christmas, Town Of Victoria Park Street Mall Temporary Sculptures

Publications

2015
First Look

Buratti Fine Art Catalogue

2015
Past and Present

All Saints College Visual Art Staff Exhibition Catalogue, Artist Statement

2014
Rebirth

Darlington Arts Festival Catalogue

2014
Melville Art Awards 2014

Melville Art Awards Catalogue

2013
Interface

'Interface' Graduation Catalogue, Images and artist statement

2012
Sculpture Survey

Gomboc Gallery 29th Annual Exhibition, Page 13, 'One Reslove'Image

2012
Darlington Open Art Exhibition

Darlington Arts Festival Catalogue

2012
Darlington Open Art Exhibition

Eco Newspaper, 10th November 2012, page 21, Darlington Arts Festival Award Winners

2012
Wundowie Iron Festival

Wundowie Iron Festival Catalogue

2015
Curtin SODA Grad Show Catalogue Book

SODA Grad Show Catalogue Book 2015

Residencies

2022
STREET TO STREET Phase Two

Seed Funding SJOG Sisters of Charity _ Acquitted Successfully Art Collective Steering Committee

2021
STREET TO STREET Phase One

DLGSC Funding - Acquitted Successfully Shelter WA Artist in Residence, Street to Street Art Project, East Perth, WA

2019
Multa Plenty

DLGSC Funding - Acquitted Successfully Artist in Focus, Midland Junction Arts Centre, Western Australia. 21 June - 9 August 2019.

Artist Statement

Interconnection developed with environ and divinity, however fractural interconnection may be, and the iconography used to represent reconciliation permeate her work. Stories of the cooperative association of interpersonal relationships; between man, woman, environ, cultural and religious identity are reflected in iconography and minimalism in materials.