Roshini Kempadoo is a photographer, media artist, and lecturer. Her research, multimedia, and photographic projects combine factual and fictional re-imaginings of contemporary experiences with history and memory. Having worked as a social documentary photographer for the Format Women’s Picture Agency, her recent work as a digital image artist includes photographs and screen-based interactive art installations that fictionalise Caribbean archive material, objects, and spaces. They combine sound, animations, and interactive use of objects, to introduce characters that once may have existed, evoking hidden and untold narratives. She is represented by Autograph ABP, London.

www.roshinikempadoo.com

http://www.autograph-abp.co.uk/

http://practiceresearchers.wordpress.com/

Research interest, key words: photography, visual culture, multimedia, and web art, Caribbean culture and history, feminist narratives, post-colonialism.

Qualifications:
2008 PhD, Goldsmiths College, University of London: Thesis ‘Creole in the archive: imagery, presence, and location of the plantation worker of two plantations, nearby villages and towns in Trinidad (1838 – 1938).’

1989MA, Photographic Studies, University of Derby.
1984 BA Visual Communications at University of Wolverhampton.

Previous Posts Held:

• Visiting Scholar, New York University Summer Study Abroad Program, American University Paris (2008)
• Visiting Research Fellow, New York University, & The Centre for Transcultural Research and Media Practice, Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland (2006 & 07)
• Visiting duPont fellowship, The Art Institute in Boston, USA (2003)
• Senior Lecturer in Media Production in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of East London (2000 - 06)
• Lecturer in Photography and Digital Imaging, Napier University, Edinburgh Scotland (1995 - 00)
• Lecturer, Photography and Electronic Imaging, University of Lincolnshire and Humberside, UK (1994 - 95)
• Photography Officer, West Midlands Arts Board, Birmingham, UK (1991 - 94)
• Consultant, Autograph ABP, the Association of Black Photographers, London (1989 - 90)
• Coordinator Manager, Ten.8 International Photographic Magazine, Birmingham, UK (1986 - 89)
• Community photographer, Coventry Resource and Information Service (1984 - 86)

Teaching and Research

• BA Media Studies: Dissertation by Practice
  MA Dissertation supervision
  MA Research Methods in Media Practice (Module Leader)
  MA Work Practices in the Media Industries (Module Leader)
  MA Dissertation by Practice (Module Leader)
  MA Postcolonial Culture
  MA Media Production

Currently researching colonial archive material of Trinidad, Caribbean between 1838 – 1938.

All publications and exhibitions post 2001:

Solo exhibitions/ screenings:

2008
Amendments, screened at MERL, University of East London

2004 -05
Roshini Kempadoo: Works 1990 – 2004, Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth, Whitstable, and Herne Bay Museum and Galleries, Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery, London and Leicester City Art Gallery



Virtual Exiles internet site, Digital Media Lab, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

2002
Virtual Exiles, CCA – Caribbean Contemporary Art Gallery, Trinidad

Group exhibitions:

2010
National Portrait Gallery. Format Photography Agency 1983 – 2003, London, Room 38a. January – July



2009
- 7th Encuentro: Staging Citizenship: Cultural Rights in the Americas, Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics, Museo de Artes, National University of Colombia, Bogotá
- Liminal: A Question of Position, Iniva, Rivington Place, London

2007
Art & Emancipation In Jamaica: Isaac Mendes Belisario And His Worlds, Yale Center for British Art, New Haven‚ Connecticut t.

2006 - 7
- Latitudes 2006 - Terres de Amazonie, Ĥotel de Ville, Paris
- Crossing the Atlantic…Uneasy Spaces, 80 Washington Square East Galleries, New York University, USA

2005
- Culture Bound - East Wing Collection vii, Courtauld Institute of Art, London
- Framing the Triangle, Goethe-Institut Accra, Ghana
- Some of ‘What Happened Here…a personal perspective on Photography in the Midlands in the 1980’s.’ Format 05 photography festival, University of Derby

2004 - 05
- Racing the Cultural Interface: African Diasporic Identities in the Digital Age, MSVU Art Gallery, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, and Neutral Ground, Regina
- A Place Called Home, NSA Gallery, Durban, the South Africa Art Gallery (SANG), Cape Town, and Johannesburg Art Gallery

2003
Global Detail, Nooderlicht PhotoFestival, 2003, Groningen

2002
- Travelogue: views of Britain by seven contemporary artists Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
- Internet exhibition Race In Digital Space, Studio Museum Harlem, New York

Book chapters

2007
Kempadoo, R. (2007) ‘Back Routes: Historical articulation in Multimedia Production.’ IN GROSSMAN, A. and O’BRIEN, A. (Eds.) Projecting Migration: Transcultural Documentary Practice. London, Wallflower Press. ISBN: 190567404x for pb, 1905674058 for hb, pp. 199 - 215. http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/non-fictions/projecting-migration

Kempadoo R. (2007) ‘Digital media practice as critique: Roshini Kempadoo's installations Ghosting and endless prospects (2004).’ IN ARANA, V. (Ed.) “Black” British Aesthetics Today. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN: 1-84718-116-3, pp. 283-296. http://www.c-s-p.org/Flyers/-Black--British-Aesthetics-Today.htm

Referenced journals

2010
Kempadoo, R. (2010). Interpolating screen bytes: Critical commentary in multimedia artworks. Journal of Media Practice, 11(1), 59 - 80. (forthcoming)

2008
Kempadoo, R. (2008) ‘Amendments: A fictional re-imagining of the Trinidad archive.’ Journal of Media Practice, 9:2, pp. 87 – 99. Plates pp. 88, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98.

2005
Kempadoo, R., (2005) ‘Tracing the Image: Artist's notes on reinterpreting Trinidad landscapes, endless prospects’. exposure: The Society for Photographic Education, 38:2, pp. 22 - 30. Plates pp. 23, 24, 25, 26, 28

2002
Kempadoo, R., (2002) Future Belonging - a case study in practice-based research. Journal of Media Practice, 2, No.3 138 - 146. Plates: 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144.

Catalogue articles:

2008
Kempadoo, R. (2008) ‘Photographing Here/There.’ In Into the Open: Ania Dabrowska & John Nassari. London, Four Corners Gallery. pp. 38-39.

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Conference Papers (international/national)

International since 2001

2010

- Invited speaker to Caribbean Literary Studies Group conference: Global Caribbean(s): Interrogating the Politics of Location in Caribbean Literature and Culture. The University of Miami, Coral Gables. (March/forthcoming) http://www.as.miami.edu/cls/

2009

- Invited artist’s presentation, Photography and Imaging, Tisch School of Art, New York University, NY, USA. 6th October
- Keynote speaker for Media and the Global Diaspora 2009, Exploring Media in Caribbean Diasporas, Roger Williams University, Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, 1 – 3 October 2009
http://newmediasymposium.org/program.html
- Contribution to the working research group: Engendering the Archives , 7th Encuentro: Staging Citizenship: Cultural Rights in the Americas Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics, National University of Colombia, Bogotá. August 21-30
http://hemisphericinstitute.org/eng/index.html
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcqnx7hc_0cbfdtpf2

2008

- Invited guest speaker to the symposium cultural diversity, media and the creative arts conceived by the Goethe-Institut, the Alliance Française and the FOMACS (Forum on Migration and Communications), Dublin, Ireland (October)
- Guest speaker, ‘Creole in the Archive: A Fictional Re-Imagining’, UTT The Fellows’ Gatherings, The Academy at UTT for Arts, Letters, Culture and Public Affairs, University of Trinidad and Tobago, Barataria, Trinidad
- Panel member contribution, ‘Postcolonial Studies I: Empires, Desire, Criticism and the Subaltern,’ at 2008 ACS Crossroads, University of the West Indies, Kingston Jamaica

2007

- Invited artist’s contribution, The Gilder Lehrman Center’s 9th Annual International Conference: The Legacies of Slavery and Emancipation: Jamaica in the Atlantic World, Yale Center for British Art (YCBA) & Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition (GLC), Yale University, USA .
- Guest speaker, Lens-Based Research Practice: New Directions, AVPhD network, Media Research Institute, University of Ulster & The Centre for Transcultural Research and Media Practice, Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland.

2006

- Guest speaker, Tables rondes event, Salon Georges Bertrand, Ĥotel de Ville, Paris.
- Panel member contribution, ‘Beyond the Other? Interrogating postcolonial theory and practice’, Crossroads Conference 2006, Istanbul, Turkey.
- Panel member/convenor, ‘Traces in the Here and Now: Black British Creativity in Photography, Film, and Multi-Media.’ “Black” British Aesthetics Today: The Howard University Symposium, Washington DC, USA.
- Guest speaker, ‘Traces on the Screen: Roshini Kempadoo Works: 2000 – present,’ New York University, sponsored by Steinhardt School of Education, Culture & Communication, New York.

2004

- Invited contributor, Meanings and Representations of Work in the Lives of Women of Color African American Studies Department, University of Maryland, residential conference/symposium, International Bellagio Conference Centre, Bellagio, Italy.

2003

- Guest speaker, Visual Culture Colloquium, Department of History of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA.
- Guest speaker Transcultural Visual Research series, Dublin Institute of Technology, Irish Film Institute, Dublin.

2002

- Panel member contribution, Race in Digital Space 2.0, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
- Guest speaker, The Projected Image: Visual to Political, The Photography Institute National 2002 Graduate Seminar, Columbia University School of Arts, New York.

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National since 2001

2010

- Invited artist’s presentation: The Friday Event, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland.
http://www.gsaevents.com/fridayevent/kempadoo

2009

- Contribution to the conference Visual Delights 4:Visual Empires, University of Sheffield.
http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/news/vd4.html
- Keynote speaker for Our History in our Hands: Towards Digital Sustainability for Minority Cultural Archives initiated by the Community Archives Research team, UCL and UntoldLondon, Museum of London, Docklands, 5th June.http://www.untoldlondon.org.uk/news/ART68754.html
- Vertigo Talks 1: Virtual - at Iniva for Liminal: A Question of Position, Rivington Place, London. Sponsored by Vertigo Magazine.http://www.iniva.org/events/2009/virtual
- Invited speaker to AHRC funded postgraduate workshop at De Montfort University, jointly coordinated by Professor Gen Doy, De Montfort University and Dr. Jane Tormey of Loughborough University School of Art and Design

2008

- Gallery panel member contribution, Into the Open: Ania Dabrowska & John Nassari, Four Corners Gallery London.
- Guest speaker, Migration, Media, Archive, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Dundee and Napier Universities. http://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/calendar/5:367/5200
- Panel member contribution, The Missing Chapter – Cultural Identity and The Photographic Archive, Rivington Place, London.
- Guest speaker, Crossing (Cultural) Borders? Reflections on Inter -, Multi -, Trans, NIECI/WISCA workshop Bangor University, Wales.
- Guest speaker, Media, Communications and Culture Seminar Series, Keele University.

2007

- Panel member contribution, Creolising Europe: a conference of the Migration and Diaspora Cultural Studies Network, University of Manchester.
- Keynote speaker, Re-presenting Diasporas in Cinema and New Digital Media, University of Exeter.
- Guest speaker, Cultural Exchanges: Challenging Opinions, Changing Perspectives, De Montfort University, Leicester.
- Panel Member contribution, ‘Transnational mediations: media practice as social commentary I: Reflecting on commemoration: Amendments 2007’, MeCCSA with AMPE conference, 2007, Coventry University.

2006

- Panel member contribution, Diasporic Futures: Women the Arts and Globalization, Roehampton, Loughborough and Kingston Universities, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
- Panel Debate ‘Naming the Place: Photography and Contemporary Art’ Photo-London (http://www.photo-london.com/) Royal College of Art, Burlington Gardens, London.
- Artist’s presentation, Department of Anthropology, Goldsmiths, London.
- Guest speaker, AVPhD: Supporting doctoral work in Audiovisual, practice/research, Birkbeck College, London.
- Panel member contribution, ‘Culture Rights - Transforming Race, Theory and Media Arts Practice,’ MeCCSA/AMPE conference, Leeds.

2005

- Artist’s presentation, Caribbean Connections: Creole Realities, International symposium, Caribbean Studies Centre Goldsmiths College, London.
- Guest speaker, ‘Ghosting: (in)visibility and absence of racialised Caribbean landscape’. Summer symposium, Picturing change: Landscape and Time Faculty of Arts, University of Plymouth.
- Panel member contribution, (Inter-)facing: Theory and Practice conference, School of Modern Languages, University of Exeter.
- Artist talks: Whitstable Museum and Art Gallery & London Institute of Education.
- OVA Film Series and panel discussion, Canada House, London.

2004

- Guest speaker, ‘Black Diaspora Artists, Past and Present’, Raphael Samuel History Centre, University of East London, inIVA, the History Workshop Journal, Conway Hall, London.
- Guest speaker, Doing Diversity: ‘Other’ histories and memories, British Sociological Association (Race Study group), Coventry University, Coventry.
- Artist talks: Roshini Kempadoo Work 1990 – 2004, Leicester City Gallery, Napier University, Dept. of Film and Photography, Edinburgh, Scotland, Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery, Institute of Education, London.
- Panel member contribution, Free State (Decibel conference) British Museum, London.

2003

- Panel member contribution, Visible Evidence X Conference, Watershed, Bristol, UK.
Artist’s presentation, Ghetto Superstar series, Tate Modern, London.
- Guest speaker, Siting the Photograph: Between wall, page and screen organised by Photoforum (http://www.photo-forum.org.uk/html/conferences.html), Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
- Keynote speaker, Making International Connections: Research Forum, Faculty of Art and Design, De Montfort University, Leicester.
- Guest speaker, Digital Image in the Age of the Photograph, University of Northumbria, Newcastle.

2002

- Artist talks: Matrix: Art and Technology, Tate Modern, Institute of Education, University of London, & Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, UK.
- Guest speaker, Art and the Crisis of Multiculturalism: A conference on the representation of ethnicity in art, film, television and other visual and performative media convened by Nicholas Mirzoeff, Institute for research in Visual Culture, University of Nottingham.
- Panel member contribution, MeCCSA (Media Communication and Cultural Studies Association 3rd Annual Conference, London.

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Other scholarly activities:

Key editorships/panel committee memberships since 2001

2010
- Affiliate member of the Centre for Cultural Studies Research, University of East London.
http://www.uel.ac.uk/ccsr/

2009
- External examiner for validation panel of the PhD in Cultural Studies and Social Documentary Practice, DIT, Dublin

2007
- Editorial member for ICA documents journal

2006
- Guest faculty member of the Centre for Transcultural Research and Media Practice.
http://www.ctmp.ie/guest_faculty.php
- Founder member of Culture Rights (2006 - 09). http://www.culturerights.co.uk
- External Examiner for BA (Hons) Photography, Department of Visual Communications, Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland

2002 –06
- Board member Rich Mix Arts Trust, an International Media Arts space, East London.

2001 – 04
- External Examiner, Faculty of Arts, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland.

2000 – 02
- Photography and New Media panel member, Arts Council of England.

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Published Material Featuring My Work, Net Sites, Television and Radio Coverage

2010
- Willis, D. (ed.). (2010). Black Venus 2010: They Called Her 'Hottentot'. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, pp. g11 – g13. Plates: 4a, 4f, 4d, 4e, 4b
- Wolf, S. (2010). The Digital Eye: Photographic Art in the Electronic Age. Munich: Prestel Verlag GmbH & Co KG. (forthcoming)

2009
- Artist Interview with Karen Raney, Engage 24: the international journal of visual art and gallery education, pp. 69 – 77. Plates: 72,74,76
- Francis, J., "To Be Real: Figuring Blackness in Modern and Contemporary African Diaspora Visual Cultures." Black Radical History Review: Reconceptualizations of the African Diaspora (103) Winter 2009: pp.188 - 202
- Kempadoo, R. (2009). "Amendments: Digital Griots as Traces of Resistance." Small Axe: A Caribbean platform for criticism 13 (1): pp. 181-191. Plates: 183, 184, 185, 186 - 187, 188, 189, 190, 191
- Radio:
-----Life with Rosemary Laryea, Colourful Radio interview, London. 25th March

2008
- Television:
----- Guest speaker to the morning show, Gayelle Television Channel, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. (July 15th)

2007
- Hall, S (2007). The Legacies of Anglo-Caribbean Culture – A Diasporic Perspective In Barringer, T., Forrester, G., & Martinez-Ruiz, B., eds. Art and Emancipation in Jamaica: Isaac Mendes Belisario and His Worlds. New Haven and London, Yale Center for British Art in association with Yale University Press, 2007, pp. 179 - 194

Research Archive:

Key exhibitions, residencies pre 2001:

Solo shows:

2000 – 01
Virtual Exiles, supported by ARTEC, exhibited at Lighthouse Media Centre, Wolverhampton, Watermans Arts Centre, London, Street Level, Glasgow & Impressions Gallery, York.

1994 - 95
A Bit of the Other, commissioned by Oude Kerk Stichting, Amsterdam, exhibited Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham, Site Gallery, Sheffield.

1991
Roshini Kempadoo - Culture and Identity, Perspektief, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Group shows

2000
Reflections in Black Anacostia, Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC, USA.

1998
The Future Looms. An Internet and DVD exhibition, PHOTO’98. Hosted by ARTEC, London.

1997
- Transforming the Crown, The Studio Museum, Harlem & Brooklyn Museum, New York.
- The 90s: A Family of Man?, Casino Luxembourg, Forum D’Art Contemporain.
- Translocations, The Photographer’s Gallery, London.
- Techno-Seduction, Cooper Union Art Gallery, New York, USA.

1996
Internet art exhibition La Finca/The Homestead, hosted by North Western University, USA & University Politecnica de Valencia, Spain.

1995
Zelfbeschikking (Self-Determination), Museum voor Modern Kunst, Arnhem.

1993/4
Recontres au Noir audiovisual screening curated by, Autograph & TEN.8, Arles Photography Festival, France, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Museum of Moving Image, London.

1992
Shifting Borders, European Arts Festival, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, UK.

1991
Interrogating Identities, Grey Art Gallery, New York.

1990
Black Markets touring exhibition, launched at Cornerhouse Media Centre, Manchester, UK