Profile
Dawnja is a media studies scholar and practicing conceptual photographer. Her photographic works have been exhibited at various gallery settings and her work produced during a recent artist in residency at Chaco Culture National Historical Park continues to be developed for additional exhibition. Her research, teaching and creative production have consistently explored cultural practice as expressed through media representation, focused upon philosophies and politics of virtual identity construction and the predominance of animals in and as media. Her academic degrees and ongoing academic study are in communication/advertising, media studies/media philosophy, photography and related media. Her professional training is in photography, video, film and multimedia production. She has worked creatively and professionally with these media formats in the roles of producer, director and editor for many years.
Degrees Held
M.F.A. Photography and Related Media, Parsons School of Design
M.A. Media Studies, The New School for Social Research
B.A. Communication/Advertising, The University of Texas at El Paso
Professional Affiliation
Animals & Society; Society for Photographic Education; College Art Association; AAUW; AAUP
Recent Publications
360 photography of several restricted rooms to accompany archaeological MA thesis work by Oliva Thomsen, National Park Service Photographic Archives, June, 2021
Canis Lapis (Coyote), Text and photographic entries, Becoming Feral, (forthcoming), 2021
Photograph from the series Chaco Reimagined: Las Laguna online exhibition Landscapes, Feb 4-27, 2021
Article, When Filming On-Location is Filming At-Home: Student Filmmakers Magazine and Public Seminar, July, 2020
Photograph triptych from the series Chaco Reimagined: Chaco Culture National Historical Park visitor center, (forthcoming), 2021
Photographic object form the series Chaco Reimagined: Sangre de Christo Art Center, Pueblo, CO, 2020
Photographs from the series Rosemarie's Lane in group show: Textures and Layers: A Walk in the Woods, View Arts Center, Old Forge, NY, Feb - June, 2020
Photograph from the series Chaco Reimagined in group show: Representing the West, Sangre de Christo Arts Center, Pueble, CO, Feb - May, 2020
Essay and photograph from the series Encounter: PSD Promotional Feature, 2019
Essay and photographic selections from the series Look Alive!: Imprint: PSD Promotional Feature, 2018
Photograph from the series Encounter: Group Exhibition, In Relation, Photoville, Brooklyn Bridge Park, 2018
Photograph from the series Animals Inhabit Fashion Ads: Group Exhibition, Aparatus of Discomfort, Photoville, Brooklyn Bridge Park, 2017
Performances and Appearances
Artist residency and talks on the photographic series Chaco Reimagined: Chaco Culture National Historical Park, 2019
Research Interests
Conceptual photography and video, media technology and production practices, animal representation in media, communication philosophies, cultural documentary, media ethics.
Portfolio
Personal Website
Student Work: Animal Instances Journal