Artists statement

This photograph is taken at the site of the ruins of an old asylum in Bundoora. Graffiti covers the walls and light filters in through a broken window on the left. This is a place of solitude for the artist. In this self-portrait the artist is pictured precariously balancing on his chest while his legs are floating in the air. He holds onto an old style red telephone receiver that appears to anchor him to the ground.

This image is part of a series of self-portraits called "Exulansis" that document feelings of homesickness and nostalgia. The impetus for this image is the changing of the artists relationship with his mother as they speak over the phone in ways they could not have while living under the same roof. They talk every single night after work, gossiping about cousins from his father's side and neighbours, comparing grocery prices between Australia and Lebanon, and most importantly, talking about food recipes. This is even though they are 9 hours apart.

AYMAN KAAKE (he/him) is an award-winning Lebanon-born Australian photo-media visual artist currently based in Melbourne's inner northern suburbs. He explores diasporic melancholy and the agony of exile through contemplative portraiture and sculptural, styled poses.

Ayman Kaake arrived in Australia as a telecommunications engineer graduate in 2011. Enamoured by the camera, he lied to his family to pursue his artistic journey – enrolling in secret in visual arts in Melbourne. His many accomplishments include being a finalist at the National Photographic Portrait Prize in 2022 and 2023, a featured artist for PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography for the outdoor program, the winner of Midsumma and Australia Post Award 2022, the winner of the Small Work Art Prize at Brunswick Street Gallery 2022, and recipient of Room to Create residency at Collingwood Yards 2020. A book of Ayman’s artworks has been recently published by Tall Poppy Press.