About

About the artist:

Known as: Knibbs

Pronouns: she/her

Location: Melbourne/Naarm, Australia

JB Knibbs is a self-taught multi-disciplinary artist whose practice spans photography, digital art, scale miniatures, sculpture, installation, and textiles.

Knibbs began her art practice after several years training and practising as a lighting designer for live performances, working on drama, dance, events, and performance art.

She holds a Bachelor of Production (in theatrical lighting) from VCA, and in 2018 was recognised with First Class Honours and the Vice-Chancellor’s List for Academic Excellence after studying an Honours course in Fine Art at RMIT.

About the art:

Much of Knibbs’s creative practice combines motifs of the uncanny, surrealism, domesticity, suburbia and feminism with her own unique perspective, humour, and eccentricities. Knibbs has a continuing fascination with architecture and locality, and their relationship with the human psyche, and a deep love of learning new crafts.

She has exhibited in numerous group exhibitions and been recognised as a finalist in several competitions. In January 2021, Knibbs held her first major solo exhibition titled Suburban Haunts at No Vacancy Gallery in Melbourne’s CBD, supported by a City of Melbourne Arts Grant.

This diverse exhibition included: an illusory installation placing the viewer within a constructed miniature hallway; a wool crocheted and embroidered spider plant, hyper-realistic miniature interiors; a quilted apartment block; and photography of local suburban houses at night.

A miniature suburban kitchen at night, lit with green and blue tones. Eerie, empty.
The Kitchen at Night, 2018 (1:12 scale miniature)

CV:

  • Solo exhibition: The Monster House Part 1 | 2022 | City Library Gallery | Melbourne VIC
  • Group exhibition: Smorgasbord | 2021 | MAVA Collective, The Hut Gallery | Ferntree Gully VIC
  • Solo exhibition: Suburban Haunts | 2021 | No Vacancy Gallery | Melbourne VIC
  • Online feature: ‘Sunday in the Life of JB Knibbs’ | 2021 | no-vacancy.com.au
  • Grant: Arts Grant for Suburban Haunts | 2020 | City of Melbourne
  • Finalist: Percival Photographic Portrait Prize | 2020 | Perc Tucker Regional Gallery | Townsville QLD
  • Group exhibition: Flesh | 2019 | No Vacancy Gallery | Melbourne VIC
  • Group exhibition: SMALL! | 2019 | fortyfivedownstairs | Melbourne VIC
  • Solo exhibition: Reconstructing Home | 2019 | Tinning St Presents | Brunswick VIC
  • Finalist: Emerging Artist Award | 2019 | fortyfivedownstairs | Melbourne VIC
  • Group exhibition: My Two Cents | 2019 | No Vacancy Gallery | Melbourne VIC
  • Group exhibition: Emerging Art Australia | 2016 | 69 Smith St Gallery | Fitzroy VIC
  • Group exhibition: Photography Now | 2015 | The Brick Lane Gallery, London UK
  • Magazine feature: ‘Behind the Camera’ | 2014 | InFocus Australasia (Issue 15)
  • Grant: ArtStart Career Grant | 2013 | The Australia Council
A kinetic hanging mobile made of coloured wooden blocks.