Lala Meredith-Vula

Lala Meredith-Vula is Professor in Art and Photography at De Montfort University, affiliated with the School of Arts, Design and Architecture within the Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities. Her research and artistic practice focus on contemporary photography, film, and fine art, with a strong emphasis on themes of migration, diaspora, identity, belonging, and the visual culture of Eastern Europe, especially Kosovo.

• University: De Montfort University
• School: School of Arts, Design and Architecture
• Academic Rank: Professor
• Email: lala@dmu.ac.uk
• Website: http://www.lalameredithvula.com

She holds a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from London and Post Graduate Studies in the former Yugoslavia. She teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programs including BA (Hons) Photography, MA Photographic History and Practice, MA Media, BA (Hons) Fine Art, and PhD supervision.

Her research interests span contemporary photography, video, film, fine art, and photographic history, with a particular focus on personal and collective memory, cultural identity, and artistic responses to geopolitical change. Her work blends artistic practice with historical inquiry, especially in the context of Balkan and Kosovar art.

The available publications and artistic outputs reflect a consistent engagement with elemental symbolism, myth, landscape, and marginalized identities. Her exhibitions often explore universal themes through deeply personal and cultural lenses, combining visual storytelling with conceptual depth. The works demonstrate a trajectory centered on memory, displacement, and the interplay between nature and culture.

Her notable awards include the Rome Scholarship (2001), Bryan Robertson Trust Artist Award (2006), and two nominations for the Paul Hamlyn Award (2002, 2006). Her film ‘Are You Everybody?’ was nominated for Best Short Film at Doku Fest 10 (2011).

• Rome Scholarship, Sargant Fellowship, British School Rome (2001)
• Nominated twice for the Paul Hamlyn Award (2002, 2006)
• Bryan Robertson Trust Artist Award (2006)
• Film nominated for Best Short Film at Doku Fest 10 (2011)

Lala Meredith-Vula has secured significant externally funded research grants, including from the AHRC, Leicester Council, the German Government, and the European Union, supporting exhibitions and publications. Her exhibition 'Caravaggio e la Fuga' (2010) attracted over 20,000 visitors and received extensive media coverage, including in The Spectator. She has actively used digital platforms such as Facebook and iTunes to extend audience reach, demonstrating innovation in public engagement. She has exhibited widely in solo and group shows across Europe, the Balkans, and China, and her films have been screened internationally, including in New Zealand, the USA, and the UK.

She is a member of the Photography and Fine Art research group at DMU and continues to produce influential artistic and scholarly work that bridges personal narrative with broader socio-political themes.