ABOUT
Lowana Davies is an Australian conceptual artist whose work lies at the intersection of science, scent, and performance. Her research-driven arts practice employs sculpture, installation, olfactory and performance art. These experimental practices aim to deepen the embodied relationships we can have with our surroundings and explore ways creative practice might help us become more aware of the sensory impacts of the current climate crisis.
Lowana holds a Bachelor of Digital Media (2017) from the Queensland College of Art and a Master of Philosophy (2023) from QUT’s School of Creative Practice. Her work has been presented at The Miami Surface Festival 2025, Horizon Festival 2025, THE WALLS art space, Gold Coast City Gallery, Splendour in the Grass, the Commonwealth Games Festival 2018, HOTA Children's Gallery, The Old Lockup Maroochydore, The Block QUT, QCA Galleries, Outerspace, outdoors in public spaces, and online.
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AWARDS/PRIZESAward for Academic Excellence, Griffith University, top 5%, 2016 and 2017.
Winner of Chengdu/Gold Coast Public Art and Design competition, China, 2015.
Winner of Chengdu/Gold Coast Public Art and Design competition, China, 2015.
RESIDENCIES
The Falls Farm X Horizon Artist in Residence, 2025 Samford Ecological Research Facility 6 month residency, 2022
Summer Retreat Artist in Residence at The Walls Art Space, 2020/2021
Umwelt Collective Artist in Residence at The Farm, Miami 2019
Winter Artist in Residence at The Walls Art Space, Miami, Gold Coast, 2017.
Level-Up Youth Artist Residency Program, Gold Coast City Council, Helensvale, 2017.
Summer Retreat Artist in Residence at The Walls Art Space, 2020/2021
Umwelt Collective Artist in Residence at The Farm, Miami 2019
Winter Artist in Residence at The Walls Art Space, Miami, Gold Coast, 2017.
Level-Up Youth Artist Residency Program, Gold Coast City Council, Helensvale, 2017.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Generate GC Artist, Situate Art in Festivals and Gold Coast City Council, 2019 Smellwalks GC R&D funded by Gold Coast City Council and Situate Art in Festivals 2019-2020.
Professional Attachment, Festival 2018, Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast City Council.
Bare Bones Masterclass, Supercell Contemporary Dance Festival, The Farm Company, Gold Coast, 2018.
Navigate Young Artist Development Program, Gold Coast City Council, 2017.
YARN project, David Pledger, Gold Coast City Council Arts and Culture, 2016.
Professional Attachment, Festival 2018, Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast City Council.
Bare Bones Masterclass, Supercell Contemporary Dance Festival, The Farm Company, Gold Coast, 2018.
Navigate Young Artist Development Program, Gold Coast City Council, 2017.
YARN project, David Pledger, Gold Coast City Council Arts and Culture, 2016.
EDUCATION
Bachelor Digital Media, Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, Award Major Studio Art, 2014-2017. GPA 6.52
Master of Philosophy (Creative Practice), Queensland University of Technology, 2023
SELECTED WORKS
“Strings and Nests” three large-scale interactive sculptures built from fallen Eucalyptus grandis branches interwoven with Thunbergia grandiflora vines, string quartet composition by Tom Lyons, The Falls Farm, Horizon Festival
“Salt, Fresh, Chlorine” three interactive digital projections | World Upside Down - HOTA
2016:
“The World Outside” video installation, Glitter Festival
“The Corridor Encounter” core creative/performer, The Farmhouse, Miami
“Undercurrents” Exhibition Coordinator and 2 installations, Gallery 1, HOTA
“I Love You, You Are Not Alone, If You Need Me, I Will Sit With You”, Solo Exhibition, WhiteBox Gallery, Southport
2025:
“Supper Club” collaboration with Mapleton Public House and Horizon Festival
“Catching a Whiff” Performances, The Falls Farm, Horizon Festival
“Strings and Nests” three large-scale interactive sculptures built from fallen Eucalyptus grandis branches interwoven with Thunbergia grandiflora vines, string quartet composition by Tom Lyons, The Falls Farm, Horizon Festival
“Catching a Whiff” Performances and collaboration with That’s Whyld Coffee Roasters, Miami Surface Festival
2023:
“Catching a Whiff” Performances, Splendour Arts, Splendour in the Grass
“Catching a Whiff - Sensing Water in Place” Performances and Botanical Water Bar, HOTA Parklands, Water Week
2022:
“Smellcapsule” interactive and evolving olfactory archive, The Block QUT
“Olfactivisms” site-specific olfactory interventions, Samford Ecoloogical Research Facility
“House of Mycelium” mycelium sculptures, native ferns, greenhouse, humidifier, soil, odours | The Block QUT
“Fake Plastic Trees” live performance, Morena Espresso Poetry Night
“HUM(an/US)” single channel video, The Block QUT
“OLFACTORY ECOLOGIES” GROUP SHOW, Curated by Lowana Davies, Presented by INXOLU
“OLFACTORY ECOLOGIES” GROUP SHOW, Curated by Lowana Davies, Presented by INXOLU
“Smell School” workshop, The Old Lockup, Maroochydore
2021:
“Salt, Fresh, Chlorine” three interactive digital projections | World Upside Down - HOTA
“Precarious Smellscapes” presentation Beyond-Human-Scales | 8th ASLEC-ANZ Conference, Aotearoa, New Zealand
“Proud to be a Woman” oil on canvas painting series | The Walls Art Space
“Smell School” ArtLab | HOTA
“Smell School” ArtLab | HOTA
“Dandelions” live performance with Merinda Davies | The Walls Art Space closing event
2020:
“Mother.online” Online Art Exhibition | Outer Space Gallery
“Quaranzine Bath Time” digitally painted zine, for Quran-Zine — Merinda Davies.
2019:
“Re:membering” UMWELT collective live performance, showings at HOTA and Brisbane Powerhouse
“Stormwater” UMWELT collective single-channel video work, exhibited as part of group show Subjective Spectacle, Melbourne Fringe
“Dancing Cranes” mural, Madarao, Japan
2018:
“Making (muscle) memories” video projection, Local Loops, Southport Street Party, Festival 2018
“The Rising” Contemporary Circus show with The Circus Corridor, Festival 2018.
“Home Ground” single channel video The Night Watch, Festival 2018.
“Home Ground” single channel video The Night Watch, Festival 2018.
“Hot and Gold” live performance, The Walls Art Space 2018 launch.
“Digital Habitats” single channel video projection, The Walls Art Space, 2018 launch.
“Digital Habitats” single channel video projection, The Walls Art Space, 2018 launch.
2017:
“Puppet Tearing” single channel video, POP Gallery, End of The Line Festival, Brisbane.
“Actions Unmarked” Solo exhibition, The Walls Art Space, Gold Coast.
"Umwelt" solo exhibitEDUCATIONion, Whitebox Gallery, Gold Coast.
"Elevate" performance, Spiegel Tent, Bleach Festival, Gold Coast.
"Refractions" core creative/performer, The Farm House, Miami
“One Night Handstand” live performance, The Couch Outloud.
“Actions Unmarked” Solo exhibition, The Walls Art Space, Gold Coast.
"Umwelt" solo exhibitEDUCATIONion, Whitebox Gallery, Gold Coast.
"Elevate" performance, Spiegel Tent, Bleach Festival, Gold Coast.
"Refractions" core creative/performer, The Farm House, Miami
“One Night Handstand” live performance, The Couch Outloud.
2016:
“The World Outside” video installation, Glitter Festival
“The Corridor Encounter” core creative/performer, The Farmhouse, Miami
“Undercurrents” Exhibition Coordinator and 2 installations, Gallery 1, HOTA
“I Love You, You Are Not Alone, If You Need Me, I Will Sit With You”, Solo Exhibition, WhiteBox Gallery, Southport
Lowana Davies respectfully acknowledges the Turbul and Yugara people, the traditional owners of the land on which we live and work, and pay respect to elders past and present, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia