Photo by Jason HamiltonJahkarli Felicitas Romanis is a proud Aboriginal woman of Pitta Pitta descent. She was born and raised on Wadawurrung/Wathaurong Country and currently works as an artist and researcher on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung Land.
After completing an Honours in Photography degree at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 2020, she commenced a PhD at Monash University in 2021 through the Wominjeka Djeembana Indigenous Research Lab, in the faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (MADA).
Her arts practice is inextricably intertwined with her identity as a Pitta Pitta woman and aims to subvert and disrupt colonial approaches to image making and photography. Romanis’ research and practice is heavily informed by her family oral histories and photographic archives.
Education:
2021—Present: PhD (Fine Art), Wominjeka Djeembana Indigenous Research Lab, Monash University.
2020: Honours (Photography), RMIT University.
2017—2019: Bachelor of Arts (Photography), RMIT University.
Exhibitions (Solo Shows):
2025: ‘(Dis)connected to Country: Mapping Archives Through Arts Practice’, PhD exhibition, MADA Gallery, Melbourne.2024: ‘(Dis)connected to Country’ Hillvale Gallery, as part of PHOTO2024, Melbourne.
2023: ‘(Dis)connected to Country’ curated by Angela Connor, The Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh), Melbourne.
Exhibitions (Group Shows):
2025: ‘Refusal / Futurity’ curated by Dr Jodie Haines, Platform Arts, Geelong.2025: ‘counter-sites’ curated by Karl Halliday and Madeleine Sherburn, Photo Access, Canberra.
2023: 40th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (Telstra NATSIAA).
2023: ‘YARN’ (curator), Craft Victoria, Melbourne.
2022: ‘INTERVALS’ curated by João Marco Deloie, Platform Arts, Geelong.
2022: ‘Into the Everywhen’ curated by Eden Fiske and Shahn Stewart, Craft Victoria, Melbourne.
2022: ‘Barreeng Yirramboi’ (artist and co-curated with Wominjeka Djeembana Indigenous Research Lab) MADA Gallery, Monash University Melbourne.
2022: ‘Aeon Resurrection,’ curated by Jake Treacy, Incinerator Gallery, Moonee Ponds.
2022: ‘New Photographers’ PHOTO2022 International Photography Festival, James Makin Gallery, Collingwood.
2022: ‘Still Here, Now’ (artist and co-curated with Tarryn Love and Kelsey Love), Platform Arts, Geelong.
2020: Ars Electronica International Arts and Technology Festival, Web XR Newcastle Garden, curated by Rewa Wright.
2020: ‘What have you got to lose?’ curated by Janine McGinness-Whyte, Rachinger Gallery, Geelong.
2020: ‘Summer Projects VII’ curated by Dylan Foley, Boom Gallery Geelong.
2019: ‘Sightings and Listenings’ graduate exhibition, RMIT University.
Awards:
2024: Incinerator Gallery Art Award, Art for Social Change: Finalist.2023: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Telstra NATSIAA): Finalist.
2019: Baillot and Balfour Endowment: Winner.
2019: Robyn Beeche Award: Finalist.
Work Experience:
2025—Present: Lecturer, Art Design and Architecture Faculty, Monash University.2024—Present: Board Member, West Space.
2024—Present: Board Member, Melbourne Art Library.
2023—2025: Artist Committee Member, West Space Gallery.
2022—2025: Research Assistant, Monash University, Australian Research Council funded project ‘Protocols for Indigenous-led creative practice.’
2022: Marrawuddi Arts and Culture Volunteer, Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair.
2021—2022: Research Assistant, Monash University, Wominjeka Djeembana Research Lab.
2021: Producer, Ngarnga-dha (hearing/listening), Research Symposium, Monash University.
2021: Teaching Associate, Monash University.
2021: Research Assistant, Monash University, ‘Tjanabi’ RISING Festival.
2021: Workshop Facilitator, SIGNAL X This Mob X Aretha Brown.
2021: First Nations Emerging Curator, Geelong Gallery.
Writing:
2024: We Are The Archives Of Our Ancestors, The Fever: Part One, Art + Australia. Co-authored with Dr Peta Clancy and Dr Kirsten Lyttle | https://artandaustralia.com/59_2/p271/we-are-the-archives-of-our-ancestors2022: Google Earth is an illusion: how I am using art to explore the problematic nature of western maps and the myth of ‘terra nullius,’ The Conversation | https://theconversation.com/google-earth-is-an-illusion-how-i-am-using-art-to-explore-the-problematic-nature-of-western-maps-and-the-myth-of-terra-nullius-187921
Select Artist Talks/Guest Lectures:
2024: ‘(Dis)connected to Country’ In-conversation with Dr Peta Clancy, Hillvale Gallery.2024: ‘Future River’ In-conversation with Dr Peta Clancy, Dr Julie Gough, Dr Jodie Haines and Dr Kimba Thompson, Counihan Gallery.
2023: ‘The Reciprocity Factor: Photography, Country and Relationality’ In-conversation with Dr Kirsten Lyttle, Dr Peta Clancy and Professor Melissa Miles, MPavillion.
2023: ‘UNTOLD’ Darwin, In-conversation with Dr Tony Albert, Warraba Weatherall and Troy Casey, curated by Agency Projects.
2023: ‘Art Forum Talks’, Victorian College of the Arts.
2022: ‘Radical Hospitality: Platforming Community’ Panelist with Tarryn Love, Norm Sheehan and Lowell Hunter, Next Wave.
2022: ‘Making the Visible Invisible’ in-conversation with Professor Mark Andrejevic and Mishka Henner, Form X Content PHOTO2022 | https://www.monash.edu/muma/public-programs/current/current/form-x-content/semester-1/making-the-visible-invisible
Residencies:
2025: Bundanon Artist Residency with Dr Peta Clancy, Dr Kirsten Lyttle and Dr Jessica Neath, Bundanon. (forthcoming).2024: PARADISE AIR, Matsudo Japan.
2022: Melbourne Art Library, Melbourne.
Conferences/symposiums:
2024: ‘Country Informing Practice Symposium’ Monash Art Design and Architecture Faculty, Monash University.2022: ‘Agency, Country and Place: encounters with photography’ The Art Association of Australia and New Zealand (AAANZ) Conference.
2022: ‘Barreeng Yirramboi’, Research Symposium and Exhibition, Monash Art Design and Architecture Faculty, Monash Univeristy.
2022: ‘Conversations with...Extractivism Symposium’, Monash Art Design and Architecture Faculty, Monash University.
2021: ‘Ngarnga-dha (hearing/listening)’, Research Symposium, Monash University.
Funding and scholarships:
2025: Tarnuk-ut baany Artist Development Program, Footscray Community Arts.2021—2024: Australian Government Research Training Program Scholar, PhD, Monash University, Melbourne.
Select Press and Media:
2024: ArtsHub Article, written by Christy Tan | https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/disconnected-to-country-mapping-the-intersections-of-place-identity-and-family-2699519/2023: Triple R Radio Interview with Vanessa Morris | https://www.rrr.org.au/on-demand/segments/banksia-jahkarli-felicitas-romanis-discusses-exhibition-yarn
2023: NITV Radio Interview, Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards | https://www.sbs.com.au/language/nitv-radio/en/podcast-episode/dear-dolly-with-love-2023-reveals-the-bittersweet-power-of-colonial-archives-for-first-nations-people/in3hxg4rg
2022: ‘Monash University students impress at PHOTO 2022 New Photographers exhibition’ Monash University | https://www.monash.edu/mada/news/2022/monash-university-students-impress-at-photo-2022-new-photographers-exhibition
2022: ‘PHOTO 2022: what it means being human’ RMIT University | https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2022/may/photo-2022-rmit-alumni
2022: ‘New Photographers’ PHOTO2022 International Photography Festival | https://photo.org.au/channel/qa-jahkarli-romanis
2021: ‘New photography from Melbourne and beyond’ Magnum | https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/new-photography-melbourne-beyond/
Contact: jucromanis@gmail.com