Wiradjuri photographic artist Kyle Archie Knight showcases his passion for advocacy, creativity, and culture in everything he does.

"Ever since I was a teenager, I wanted to pursue the study of photography, I have always loved the arts and I didn't really go to uni with a big game plan. I just always knew I wanted to be a photographer, I have loved photography since I was a child, taking photos and pawing through family photo albums," Knight told Style Up.

"2024 has been a very fun year for me so far. At the beginning of the year, I was lucky enough to be photographing again at the Melbourne Fashion Festival with Mob in Fashion. I love fashion photography and how fast-paced everything is, so it's a real joy to not only have the opportunity once again but to also be interviewed by Mob in Fashion for the Festival, which was screened before the First Nations Runways, whilst I was photographing backstage," he said.

"I'm very grateful for Mob In Fashion, they set everything in motion for me and from that experience, I was able to meet the people I needed to meet to be in the position that I am now. From this experience, I have also had the chance to photograph at Melbourne Fashion Week with Long Story Short agency and been commissioned by Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2023."

"I also had my second major gallery exhibition for PHOTO Festival as part of their 'New Photographers' group exhibition, that was special. I've since been part of a few group shows and I currently am part of a group show at MARS Gallery. I also started the year with my Creative Residency at the Centre for Contemporary Photography which I'm really happy about and find so invaluable and helpful. It's been very rewarding balancing my artistic endeavours with my commercial work, and I'm very lucky to be able to engage in both."

Knights notes he has had several serendipitous moments in his photography career, when asked about his top career highlight he notes the publishing of his photobook is one of his most treasured milestones.

"The first thing that comes to mind is publishing my debut photobook entitled 'Cruising for a Bruising' with M.33 (Melbourne) for the Ballarat International Foto Biennale. It was also subsequently shortlisted in the 2024 Australian and New Zealand Photobook Awards, which I still can't believe," he said.

This year Knight has joined forces with the team at MARS Gallery to present his 'Cruising for a Bruising' photographic series, in an exhibition at the art gallery.

"My current exhibition at MARS Gallery is my photographic series 'Cruising for a Bruising', in a group show of incredible First Nations Photographers. I'm very proud of it as it includes some of my favourite photos from my photobook (of the same name) and new work that I made after the book, in the latter half of 2023 and most recently in 2024. There are 22 works, and some are small family photos, but most are large, some the largest I have printed," he said.

Inspired and influenced by his interpersonal identity and experience as a Queer man, 'Cruising for a Bruising' is an expression of emotion and voice as much as it is an artistic series of images.

"'Cruising for a Bruising' is a Camp love letter to the suburbs of Naarm. It's based on my personal experience of growing up queer in the Northern Suburbs of Naarm and began development in 2021 for uni. Between many lockdowns, being trapped in suburbia, and taking a fashion photography class at uni, I began working on a series that was supposed to represent queer people in suburbia. With their fashion contrasting against the banal and boring backdrop of my everyday suburbia. But through this process, I discovered my love for the suburbs and continued the project in 2022, for my Honours year at RMIT. This is where it changed quite drastically and, based on my supervisor's suggestions, I started studying Camp," he said.

"Camp is the love of failure, something so bad that it becomes good. I started solely photographing the suburbs and including portraits of my fiancé in them, to queer the typical heterosexual suburban landscape associated with the suburbs in popular culture, and aim to answer my research question which was: How can a Camp vision transform humdrum suburbia? The series includes archival family photos of my suburban upbringing and my very flamboyant young self."

With new additions now featured in the exhibition, Knight mentions that this has been an ongoing series.

"The series is ongoing as I moved to the Western suburbs last year and have found very fertile ground to continue documenting the Camp suburbia of Naarm, which is what most of my new work in this current exhibition depicts," he said.

When raising the topic of opportunities available for First Nations creatives within Australia's current landscape, Knight is quick to share that he has had a positive experience within the broader creative industry, noting that he has noticed more companies and brands engaging the skills of Indigenous creators.

"I can only speak to my experience but I think a lot of companies and brands are starting to engage year-round with Indigenous creators and brands, which I believe is more prolific and meaningful in the long run. Especially if they keep you in mind for future jobs," he said.

"I have personally benefited from First Nations specific positions and opportunities which I'm very thankful for in this industry. One thing I've learnt as someone who works a lot with Indigenous creatives and brands is that we speak highly of one another and aren't shy to recommend people who we think are best for a job, and it's through this loving word of mouth that I've found a lot of my commercial work."

Hesitant of not revealing too much too soon, when speaking on the remainder of the year and future projects, Knight notes that he has lots coming up including future collaborations with other First Nations businesses and brands.

"Unfortunately, any upcoming projects are still a secret. But I still have my heart set on a solo show of my work in a local contemporary gallery, so that's what I'm still working towards presently. And most recently I have been working with Gammin Threads to shoot some of their clothing. They are such a joy to work with and have such a fun, beautiful and clear vision," he said.

"With every artistic and commercial job I do, I find I am always grateful for the creative and inspiring people I meet."

Kyle Archie Knight's 'Cruising for a Bruising', will run from the 4th July – 3rd August 2024, at MARS Gallery.

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