About
Pia Johnson is a Senior Lecturer and Associate Dean in the School of Art at RMIT University. Her academic roles include teaching and coordinating courses in photography, art theory, and professional practice. She holds a Doctorate in Fine Arts from RMIT and a Bachelor of Creative Arts and Mandarin from the University of Melbourne.
Johnson’s research and artistic practice focus on cultural identity, particularly her mixed Chinese and Italian heritage, and intersections with gender and performance. Her work has been exhibited globally, including at the National Gallery of Victoria, Queensland Centre of Photography, and international festivals like the Pingyao Photography Festival (China) and the Museum of the City of Cuernavaca (Mexico). Key projects include Re-Orient (2024, Immigration Museum) and An Uncertain Grasp (2024, Stockroom Kyneton).
She has received prestigious awards such as the inaugural Kerri Hall Fellowship for Performing Arts (2022) and residencies at the National University of Singapore and Studio Kura (Japan). Her collaborative projects span theater, music festivals, and community initiatives, including commissions for 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art and the Australian National Academy of Music.
Johnson’s podcast Out of the Frame (2023) profiles contemporary photographers, and she advocates for diversity and sustainability in the arts. Her work is held in major collections, including the National Gallery of Victoria and Bendigo Art Gallery.
