MARK FRANCIS FENNING
is a visual artist, photographer, and writer. He is an Award-winning Photographic Artist, the Digital Marketing Executive at Queen’s University Belfast and from 2019 he has been on the Board of Source Magazine: Thinking Through Photography.
Attaining a First-Class BA Hons in Fine Art (Ulster University, 2013) and a Masters in Arts Management with Commendation (Queen’s University Belfast, 2017) Fenning has been recognised with various accolades including UU Artist in Residence, The Belfast Print Workshop Award and The Jaffa Award from Art Tank Gallery (2013-14). He has been the recipient of several Arts Council of Northern Ireland awards including the Self-arranged Residency award (2014) and three Support for the Individual Artist Programme awards (2018 - 2020). Evidence of the quality of his work can be found in numerous collections, notably the University of Edinburgh; Boston College; University of North Carolina; and George Washington University.
Fenning has a regular exhibition practice, including selection for the 'Art Gemini Prize', London (2014), Moore's Contemporary Art, Fremantle (2014), the 'Mini Print International', Cadaques (2015) the Royal Ulster Academy, Belfast (2016), solo exhibitions at BlackBox Gallery, Belfast and Ards Art Centre, (2018), ‘S’Cuse Me’ international showcase, Naughton Gallery (2019), The Experimental Photography Festival, Barcelona (2020), Florence Contemporary (2020), Platform Arts, Belfast (2021), Collective Oslo (2022), Instant Arles (2023) and ‘Queer Assembly’, Northern Ireland (2023-24).
In addition to his exhibition practice, Fenning has contributed to the Arts locally and internationally through various professional roles. He was a Community Arts Facilitator for Newtownabbey Borough Council (2008 -2012) and an Arts Facilitator with the Print Association of Western Australia (2014). He curated an exhibition of contemporary printmakers at Flax Gallery (2013), worked as a Gallery Assistant at Belfast Print Workshop (2013-14), an Art Technician at Royal Belfast Academic Institution (2015) and the Studio Assistant within The Printmaking Department at the University of Edinburgh (2015-16). Fenning worked as an Art Consultancy Assistant with Art Loves Ltd (2017-18) and as an Event Manager for Young at Art (2018).
He was invited to speak at The Experimental Photography Festival, Barcelona (2020), and wrote an article for Analog Forever Magazine (2021). Fenning was the subject of the Documentary Short ‘Polaroid Boys’ screened at Docs Ireland and Dumbo Film Festival (2021) and participated in the Future Foundations Mentorship Programme for creative practioners in Northern Ireland (2021-22). Pivoting his creative practice, he has worked as a Digital Media Assistant in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences within Queen’s University Belfast (2019-2022) and now occupies the role as Digital Marketing Executive in Strategic Marketing (2023 – Present).
EXHIBITIONS
Queer Assembly 2023-24
Instant Art Arles 2023
Collective Oslo 2022
Polaroid Tapes 2022
Future Screens NI: Future Foundation Programme 2022
‘Salonathon Show’, Platform Arts, Belfast 2021
‘Polaroid Boys’ Documentary Short, Her International Film Festival, Docs Ireland and Dumbo Film Festival 2020-21
PNPPLZINE (Featured Artist) 2020
Instant Photographers, (Selected Artist) 2020
Experimental Photography Festival, Barcelona (Invited Artist) 2020
‘Monovisions Photography Awards’, Honourable Mention, 2019
‘S’CUSE ME’, Naughton Gallery, Belfast, International Showcase (Invited Artist) 2019
‘Open House Festival’ Bangor, Northern Ireland (Invited Artist) 2018
‘Polaroid Boys’, Ards Art Centre, Northern Ireland, 2018
‘Chasing Shadows’, The Black Box, Belfast, 2018
‘Royal Ulster Academy 135th Annual Exhibition’ Ulster Museum, Belfast 2016
‘Impressions Biennial’ Centre For Creative Media, Galway Ireland 2016
‘Print Exchange 2016’, Galway Print Studio, Ireland 2016
‘Bookmarks’ Edinburgh College of Art Book & Zine Fair (Invited artist) 2016
‘Mini Print International’ Cadaques, Spain (Selected Artist) 2016
‘9inthehandpress’ Print Exchange, New Hope, Pennsylvania, USA 2016
‘Linked’ Collaborative Print, Moores Contemporary Art Gallery, Perth Australia 2014
‘Young Shot presents: Gents @ Unveil’d’, Edwardian Cloakrooms, Bristol 2014
‘Self’ Belfast Print Workshop, Belfast 2014
‘Artist in Residence Show’ University of Ulster, Belfast 2014
‘Residence Showcase’ University of Ulster, Belfast 2014
‘Introducing...’ Waterfront Hall Exhibition, Belfast (Selected Artist) 2014
‘Focus On: Photo Books’ Belfast Exposed Galley, Belfast (Invited Artist) 2014
‘Art Gemini Prize’ Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London (Selected Artist) 2014
‘The Next Step’ Flax Gallery, Mossley Mill, Antrim, (Curator) 2014
‘Annual Members Show’ Belfast Print Workshop, Belfast 2013
‘Royal Dublin Society’ Student Show, Dublin, (Selected Artist) 2013
‘Degree Show’ University of Ulster, Belfast 2013
‘On The Lagan’ Waterfront Hall Exhibition, Belfast (Selected Artist) 2013
PRESS
25 LGBTQIA+ Film Photographers You Need to Know! (Contributor) Analog Forever Magazine 2021
Polaroid (Featured Artist) 2020
PNPPLZINE (Featured Artist) 2020
Istantaneamente 2020
ARA 2020
Visual Arts Ireland 2018
Visual Arts Ireland 2014
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Panel Member: Professional Practice, Belfast Metropolitan College 2021
Panel Member: Experimental Photography Festival, Barcelona 2020
Panel Member: The Time is Now / Life After University, Blick Studios 2019
Artist Talk: Professional Practice, University of Ulster 2019
Panel Member: Brokering Intercultural Exchange, Perspectives on Arts Management Practice 2018
Panel Member: New Research Presentation; MA in Arts Management, Queen's University Belfast 2017
Artist Talk, Bookmarks: Artist Book & Zine Fair 2016
Artist Talk, Invited lecturer, TAFE: Perth 2014
Artist Talk, Residency Program, Print Association of Western Australia 2014
Artist Workshop, Foundation Art and Design, University of Ulster 2014
Artist Workshop, Undergraduate Printmaking, University of Ulster 2014
Artist Talk, Residency Program, University of Ulster 2014
AWARDS
SIAP Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland 2020
SIAP Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland 2019
SIAP Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland 2018
Self-Arranged Residency Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland 2014
Artist in Residence, PAWA 2014
Art Gemini Prize Finalist 2014
Artist in Residence Award, University of Ulster 2014
Belfast Print Workshop Award 2013
Jaffa Award, Tank Gallery 2013
COLLECTIONS
ADOGI, Mini Print International 2016
Edinburgh College of Art Archive 2016
Belfast Print Workshop Archive 2015
Boston College 2014
Warren Wilson College North Carolina 2014
University of North Carolina at Greensboro 2014
George Washington University 2014