Zo Damage is a Melbourne-based visual artist. She enjoys commuting around Melbourne on her bicycle, cameras in tow, where she uses film photography to capture her everyday life and surroundings. Zo’s passion lies in exploring unconventional analogue photographic processes – such as making in-camera multi-exposures and experimenting with radical darkroom techniques – to challenge the representational truth of photography and constraints held within the frame. Her work also investigates how installation can be applied as a spatial method to challenge the conventions of image in relation to body and place. Zo’s career as a live music photographer spans over 20 years. From mosh pit to river bank, she aims to capture the juncture where energy and rhythm collide to express the immediacy of here-and-now experiences.

State Library Victoria Fellow

Australian Dostoevsky Society Artistic Director

Master of Fine Art
2023-2023
RMIT University, Melbourne

Master of Photography
2020-2021
RMIT University, Melbourne

2022: Women in Trades, The Mill, Castlemaine.

2022: Women in Trades, GovHub Hoardings, Bendigo.

2022: Spoke, Thin Slizzy Pizza, Collingwood.

2021-22: Essence, Ballarat Botanical Gardens Conservatory, Ballarat International Foto Biennale, Ballarat.

2021: Nest, Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood.

2019: Still, See the Sound, Melbourne.

2019: Clan,  See the Sound, Melbourne.

2019: Seed, Market Building, Castlemaine.

2018: Roar, See the Sound, Melbourne.

2017: The Damage Report, The Kiln, Gallery 1, Arts Centre Melbourne.

2017: The Damage Report, Nanda\Hobbs Contemporary, Sydney.

2017: The Damage Report, Bib’n’Brace Collective, Brisbane.

2017: 365 Vol I, Satellite Gallery, Fitzroy.

2016: Reach. Shelf Life Gallery, Taradale.

2016: Drive, Tym’s Guitars, Brisbane.

2016: Proof. The Old Bar Gallery, Fitzroy.

2016: Eve: A celebration of women in rock & roll. Besser Space, Collingwood.

2015: Grit, The Old Bar Gallery, Fitzroy.

2025: Female Gaze: International Women's Day Group Exhibition, Melbourne Camera Club, South Melbourne.

2024: Yellow Dot 2024, Ballarat International Foto Biennale at RACV Club, Melbourne.

2024: Bowness Photography Prize Exhibition, Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill.

2024: You Look Good. On Paper, Red Gallery, Fitzroy North.

2024: Female Gaze: International Women's Day Group Exhibition, Melbourne Camera Club, South Melbourne.

2024: View Camera Australia online exhibition March 2024, View Camera Australia.

2023: Bowness Photography Prize Exhibition, Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill.

2023: Sheet Film: An overview of work made in Victoria, XYZ Gallery, Melbourne.

2023: View Camera Australia online exhibition June 2023, View Camera Australia.

2023: View Camera Australia online exhibition March 2023, View Camera Australia.

2022: Baldessin–The Legacy, Australian Galleries, Collingwood.

2022: Female Gaze: International Women's Day Group Exhibition, Melbourne Camera Club, South Melbourne.

2021: Number One|Gudinski, Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute for Ballarat International Foto Biennale, Ballarat.

2021: RMIT School of Art Grad Show, RMIT University, Melbourne.

2021: #ChooseToChallenge, Melbourne Camera Club, South Melbourne.

2021: See the Music, Focal Point Darkroom & Gallery, Geelong.

2021: Female Gaze: International Women's Day Group Exhibition, Melbourne Camera Club, South Melbourne.

2020 - Present: The Amplifier, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne.

2020: Female Gaze: International Women's Day Group Exhibition, Melbourne Camera Club, South Melbourne.

2017 - Present: Australian Music Vault, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne.

2016: Digs: A 40 year retrospective of live music culture in Melbourne’s inner north, Collarts, Fitzroy.

Zo Damage, NoteWorthy (North Melbourne, 2022-2023).*

Zo Damage, Invent Define Destruct (North Melbourne: Zo Damage, 2020).*

Zo Damage, Proof (North Melbourne: Zo Damage, 2019).*

Zo Damage, Grit (North Melbourne: Zo Damage, 2019).*

Zo Damage, Still  (North Melbourne: Zo Damage, 2019).*

Zo Damage, The Damage Report (North Melbourne: Zo Damage, 2017).*

Zo Damage, “Across a synapse II” (2022), photogravure print on paper. In Baldessin Studio —The Legacy exhibition catalogue by Baldessin Press & Studio (St Andrews, Victoria: Baldessin Press & Studio, 2022), 34.

Zo Damage, “The Tote” (2016), photograph. In Music City Melbourne by Shane Homan, Seamus O’Hanlon, Catherine Strong, John Tebbutt (Sydney: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2021), front cover.^

Zo Damage, “Kim Volkman live at The Greyhound” (c1999, photograph. In The Devil Won't Take Charity by Kim Volkman, (Heyfield, Victoria: Pauline Bailey, 2017), back cover.

Zo Damage, “Truckfighters live at Cherry Rock” (2013), photograph. In Beat 1552, (Melbourne: Furst Media, 2016), front cover.^

Zo Damage, “Ly de Angeles” (2016), photograph. In Initiation, by Ly de Angeles (Melbourne: Ly de Angeles, 2016), front cover.^

Zo Damage, “Jack White live at Festival Hall” (2012), photograph. In veri.live Magazine 10, (Melbourne: Versus Hub, 2012), front cover.*^

Zo Damage, “The Flaming Lips live at Harvest Festival (Melbourne)” (2011), photograph. In veri.live Magazine 5 (Melbourne: Versus Hub, 2011), front cover.*

* Publication held in SLV collections.
^ Publication available in print and digital format.

2024: Bowness Photography Prize Finalist (Possibilities, 2023).

2023: Bowness Photography Prize Exhibition, People’s Choice Award (Trust, 2022).

2023: Bowness Photography Prize Finalist (Trust, 2022).

2022: State Library Victoria “Tate Adams Memorial Residency at Baldessin Press and Studio” Fellowship, 2022.

2021: RMIT University School of Art “Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence”.

2020: Baldessin Press Sponsored Residency.

2018: QVM Awards, "Services  to the Community Award”.

2017: The Age Music Victoria Awards “Outstanding Achievement Award” (The Damage Report | 365 Days, Zo Damage 2016-2017).

2024: “Yellow Dot Auction”, @ballaratfoto, Ballarat International Foto Biennale.

2024: “Bowness Photography Prize 2024 | 74 finalists announced”, Art Almanac.

2024: “INSTALLATION: Bowness Photography Prize > finalists up close”, @maph_photography, Museum of Australian Photography.

2024: “The Image Beyond the Image in Dostoevsky and a New Photographic Exhibition”, Nikolai Gladanac, Australian Dostoyevsky Society.

2023: “MEDIA RELEASE | Smith & Singer People’s Choice Award”, Museum of Australian Photography.

2023: “Guest Speaker: Zo Damage, Analogue Photographer discusses her alternative analogue photographic practice”, Melbourne Camera Club, South Melbourne.

2022: “ARTIST IN FOCUS: ZO DAMAGE”, @baldessinstudio, Baldessin Press & Studio.

2022: “Celebrating our women tradies”, Eve Lamb, Castlemaine Mail.

2022: “Photo project cuts through stereotypes”, Jonathon Magrath, Bendigo Times.

2022: “Meet the Fellows”, State Library Victoria Fellowships, State Library Victoria.

2022: “SPOKE: ZO DAMAGE”, Yarra City Arts.

2021: "State Library Victoria Fellowships", Baldessin Press & Studio.

2020: “The Amplifier SLAM Rally Experience”, Media Release, Arts Centre Melbourne.

2020: “Prolific photographer Zo Damage is selling prints to help save Melbourne’s live music venues”, Kate Streader, Beat.

2018: “Revered local music photographer ZO DAMAGE wins ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ and opens pop-up shop ‘SEE THE SOUND’”, Amnplify.

2017: “Gerard Elson on the importance of The Damage Report”, Gerard Elson, Readings Books.

2017: “Zo Damage to Exhibit Year-Long Photography Project for Melbourne”, Paul Cashmere, Noise11.

2017: “Zo Damage’s undying dedication to Melbourne’s music scene pays off in ‘The Damage Report’”, Sam Gaffney, Beat.

2016 : “This Free Exhibition Explores Melbourne’s Music Culture and the Inner North”, Beat Magazine.

2016: “Zo Damage: Eve”, Sky Kirkham, ABC Radio National Books and Arts.“Zo Damage: Eve”, Sky Kirkham, ABC Radio National Books and Arts.