BIO
I’ve had a passion for photography for as long as I can remember. I'm born and bred in Melbourne and I've been capturing images as a freelancer both in Australia and abroad for well over 15 years.
My commercial work is centred around portraits, personal branding and events where I’m photographing for businesses in both the corporate and community sectors. My images are used regularly for internal and external publications, marketing collateral, advertising, annual reports, websites and social media.
As an artist and visual creator, I often collaborate with various groups and individuals working on projects where I’m passionate about environmental portraiture. Travel photography is also big part of my work as it has shaped and influenced me as a photographer. I’m dedicated to documenting people & places from across the globe.
EXHIBITIONS
2023 - Albert Park College Art Show | Studio 120, Bay Street, Port Melbourne
2023 - Persona: Contemporary Veteran Artists | Tanks Art Centre, Cairns, Queensland
First exhibited in Melbourne in 2022, this collaboration with the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum honours Australian service personnel in the arts community. As a photographic portrait project, it highlights the value of veteran artists while challenging perceptions of who a veteran and an artist is.
2023 - Antipodean Palette | Steps Gallery, Lygon Street, Carlton
2023 - Moonee Valley Art Show | Essendon
2022 - Lost Homelands | Steps Gallery, Lygon Street, Carlton
Organised and curated by the GACL (Greek Australian Cultural League), the theme of “Lost Homelands”, aligns with the commemoration of the 100 years of the Asia Minor Catastrophe (1922-2022). This group exhibition was dedicated to all people’s loss of Homeland and the search for a new existence in either their own country or a foreign land.
2022 - Hobsons Bay Art Show | Altona
2022 - Whitehorse Art Show | Box Hill
2022 - Persona: Contemporary Veteran Artists | Queen's Hall, Parliament House, Melbourne
Persona began in late 2017, documenting and supporting notions of identity and transition in the growing Australian veteran arts community. All subjects are contemporary current and former members of Australia’s military services. They are all artists, or as they refer to themselves; Veteran Artists. Persona is a collaboration with the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum and has been curated by Tanja Johnston with narratives written by author Gabriel Holmes. A solo exhibition, Persona showcased individual portraits of the veteran artists within the context of their space; a making space, a reflective space, a safe space. Persona is grounded in relationships that reveal alternative self, identity and truth. A publication is now available.
https://www.persona.org.au
https://new.parliament.vic.gov...
2022 - Changed Forever; Legacies of Conflict | The Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne
This travelling group exhibition commenced at the Shrine of Remembrance, then continued throughout the suburbs and regional Victoria until June 2023. In Changed forever; Legacies of Conflict, stories of migrants who have resettled in Australia from war-torn countries are presented beside those of recent veterans of overseas service in the Australian Defence Force. This moving exhibition explores the impacts of global and civil conflict in changing lives and shaping contemporary Australia. All have been redefined by the emotional and physical dislocation of war, and seek to reconcile this with their new lives. https://www.shrine.org.au/chan...
2018 - March to Art: Community | Collins Place Gallery, Melbourne
A group exhibition highlighting the notion of community is changeable and has different meanings. For some people, it may mean simply coming from a physical place or belonging to a community of shared interests.
2017 - Faces of India | Gallery at City Library, Melbourne
Michael has spent most of his life travelling the globe always searching to capture that decisive moment. He frequently found himself drawn to India, which is where he discovered an abundance of sensory delight and a broad muse for his work on community, individualism and family. This was his first solo exhibition.
MEDIA & PRESS
Artist Biography
Links to online articles
https://https://greekherald.com.au/community/michael-christofas-capturing-the-essence-of-greek-summer-through-photography/
https://neoshttps://neoskosmos.com/en/2023/04/18/life/arts/michael-christofas-persona-goes-to-print-project-honoured-by-governor-general/osmos.com/en/2023...
https://neoskosmos.com/en/2022/12/15/features/michael-christofas-persona-explores-the-lives-and-works-of-contemporary-veteran-artists/
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/brutal-rent-increases-force-artists-out-of-iconic-cbd-building-20221208-p5c4qs.htm
PUBLICATIONS
Persona: Contemporary Veteran Artists - Volume 1
Photography by Michael Christofas | Written by Gabriel Holmes | Curated by Tanja Johnston
174 page hardcover photography book
Persona shares portraits and stories of twenty seven contemporary veteran artists. It is a national historically significant, commemorative and cultural initiative aimed to increase public awareness of the service and sacrifice of recent and contemporary service personnel and families. In addition, it challenges perceptions of veterans as artists.
Available to Purchase: https://www.anvam.org.au/store/p/persona
WhAt people say
ABOUT Michael.
Marketing Coordinator. Yooralla
Julia Le Hunt
Michael is a fantastic & professional photographer, who has worked with Yooralla at many of our events. His images always capture the spirit of the occasion, returning high quality photos in the quickest of timeframes.
Operations Manager. Knight Frank
Kerrie Judge
Michael’s work has gone into media related projects and client submissions and has always been of the highest quality. His attention to detail and excellent service makes him a pleasure to deal with.
Operations Manager. Knight Frank
Kerrie Judge
Michael’s work has gone into media related projects and client submissions and has always been of the highest quality. His attention to detail and excellent service makes him a pleasure to deal with.
Director. Abound Financial & Lifestyle Planning
Richard Brown
Michael provided the professional photography work for our new website. We were delighted with the follow up and outcomes. We would have no hesitation in recommending Michael to any individual or business.
CEO. Women’s Property Initiatives
Jeanette Large
Michael is professional, flexible, creative, and really willing to work to give us the product we need. We are very happy with the work he produces for WPI and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend his services.
Events Manager. First State Super
Lisa Linford
Michael is everything you want in a photographer; talented, professional and easy to work with. He captures all of the special moments at our events and his turnaround time to supply images is swift which is important given the real time of social media.