Robert Ellis is an Irish photographer and educator based in Dublin. His practice critically examines how meaning and representation are constructed, moving from an interrogation of documentary photography towards a more personal and affective mode of image-making within a research-led practice. Across this trajectory, his work is shaped by sustained enquiry into photography as a mediated and contingent form.

Ellis has exhibited widely in Ireland and internationally. Recent exhibitions include Changing States: Ireland in the 21st Century (Berlin, 2024) and Modern Nature as part of Cairde Arts Festival, Sligo. Solo exhibitions include Matthis Gallery (USA), RUA Red (Dublin), Belfast Exposed Gallery, and Peckham 24 as part of Photo London.

His work has been featured by The British Journal of Photography, FlakPhoto, and This is Paper, and is held in public and private collections including the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. In 2014, he was selected for Plat(t)form at Fotomuseum Winterthur. Alongside his practice, Ellis lectures in photography at Griffith College and the National College of Art and Design in Dublin.

• 2022 - Certificate in Education, Learning and Development, Griffith College, Dublin.
• 2011 - MFA Photography, University of Ulster, York Street, Belfast.
• 2007 - BA Hons Degree Photography, Dublin Institute of Technology, Temple Bar, Dublin.
• 2003 - Fetac Level 2 Award Photography, Sallynoggin College of Further Education, Dublin.

Dublin City University 2024 - Present
Photography Lecturer / School of Communications
Modules Delivered:
Photography & Imaging / 10 Credits / Year 2 / Semester 1

Griffith College, South Circular Road, Dublin 2016 - Present
Photography Lecturer BA Photography / BA Photojournalism
Modules Delivered:
Final Photographic Project / 20 Credits / Year 3 / Semester 1 & 2
Visual Methodologies / 5 Credits/ Year 2 / Semester 1
History of Art and Photography / 5 Credits / Year 1 / Semester 2
Practical Photography / 10 Credits / Year 1 / Semester 1
Ways of Seeing / 5 Credits / Year 1 / Semester 1

National College of Art & Design, Thomas Street, Dublin 8, 2017 – Present.
Photography Lecturer CEAD Photography and Digital Imaging
Modules Delivered:
Environmental Portraiture / Final Project

Ulster University, Belfast, Mar 2026
Island Photographers, Island Talk No. 9, Jan 2024
Technological University Dublin, Grangegorman Dublin, Feb 2019
SAIC, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Aug 2018
CoPA Centre of Fine Arts Photography, Milwaukee, Aug 2018
The Darkroom, Smithfield Dublin, Mar 2018.
Belfast Exposed, Belfast, May 2017.
Center for Creative Arts & Media, GMIT, Galway Feb 2015.
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Nov 2014.

The Forbidden Sun, Photo Museum Ireland (2026)
Proverbs, RUA Red, South Dublin Arts Centre (2018)
Proverbs, Matthes Gallery, University of Wisconsin Parkside (2018)
Proverbs, The Library Project, Temple Bar, Dublin (2017)
Proverbs, Peckham 24, Photo London, Copeland Park, London (2017)
Proverbs, Belfast Exposed Futures Gallery, Belfast (2017)
New Line, The Staff Club, Quadrangle Building, National University of Ireland Galway (2015)
New Line, The Courthouse, Kinvara, Co. Galway (2012)
Time Frame, The Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, Co. Clare (2012)
Wherever I Lay My Head, The Hynes Gallery, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare (2009)

Modern Nature, Cairde Arts Festival, Sligo (2024)
Changing States: Ireland in the 21st Century, Contemporary Photography from Ireland. Haus am Kleistpark,
Berlin, Germany (2024)
Opening the Gates – Images are all we have, PhotoIrealand Festival Main Show, Museum of Contemporary
Photography, Dublin (2022)
New Irish Works, PhotoIreland Festival Main Show, Museum of Contemporary Photography (2019)
Arts Council Northern Ireland Collection, Belfast Exposed (2019)
Beyond View, Celebrating 10 years of Photography at Belfast School of Art, Belfast Exposed (2018)
The Zurich Portrait Prize, National Gallery of Ireland (2018)
RHA Annual Show 2017, RHA Gallery, Eli Place, Dublin (2017)
NIAAD Faculty Show, Makerere University Gallery, Uganda (2017)
BCA Faculty Exhibition, Burren College of Art Gallery, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare (2016)
RHA Annual Show 2016, RHA Gallery, Eli Place, Dublin (2016)
In Conversation, Centre for Creative Arts & Media, GMIT Cluain Mhuire (2016)
Up Editions, The Hutspot, Van Woustraat 4, Amsterdam (2015)
Remote Photo Festival, The Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny (2015)
Up Editions, Fotofever, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris (2014)
Golden Mountain, TULCA Visual Arts Festival (2013)
New Irish Works, PhotoIreland Festival Main Show, The Photographic Archive, Dublin (2013)
New Irish Works, Paris Photo (2013)
New Irish Works, Unseen Photography Festival Amsterdam (2013)
Now Wakes the Sea, Kinsale Arts Festival, Kinsale (2013)
Something Recalled, Glor Arts Centre, Ennis, Clare (2013)
RHA Annual Show 2013, RHA Gallery, Eli Place, Dublin (2013)
Love and Death, Catalyst Arts Centre, Belfast (2013)
Project 30 - Emerging views of Ireland, Gallery Of Photography, Temple Bar, Dublin (2012)
Blow Your Mind, Botschaft Von Irland, Berlin (2012)
Open Now, Gallery of Photography, Temple Bar (2012)
Open Now, Gallery Nine, Belfast Photo Factory (2012)
Familiar Spaces, Burren College of Art Gallery, Co. Clare (2012)
(e)merge Art Fair, 1358 Florida Avenue, NE Washington (2011)
Close to Home, Belfast Photo Festival, Fresh Clam Photography Gallery, Belfast (2011)
Close To Home, PhotoIreland Festival, South Studio, Dublin (2011)

Proverbs, Published by The Library project for The Library Project Editions (2017)
New Line, Published by Aad as part of the Where we are series (2014)

Robert Ellis’ Proverbs records age-old knowledge in a rapidly-changing Uganda
by Diane Smyth for British Journal of Photography Online.
“Proverbs”: A meditation through the lens of Robert Ellis by Naomi Dornfeld for The Ranger News / Arts and Culture.
Flak Photo Archive, a featured photographer on the digital archive of contemporary photography curated by Andy Adams.
New Line, This is Paper – Magazine, Sep 2013.
New Line, New Irish Works, Book published on the occasion of PhotoIreland 2013.
New Line, La Lettre – Online Platform, Paris 2011, Selected by Jean-Luc Monterosso, director of the Maison Européenne de la Photographie. Nominate as top twenty portfolios of the year.
New Line, “Medieval to Modern: Jeannine Kraft’s Irish Journey”, in Columbus College of Art & Design Journal, IMAGE Magazine.
New Line, What Matters Now?, Aperture Foundation, New York, 2011
New Line, New Landscape Photography, New York 2011
New Line, PRISM | Photo Magazine, Dublin, 2011
New Line, Photo Volume, Ireland, 2011
New Line, The Photo Synthesizer, Ireland 2011

Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland, Plat(t)form 2014, Nominated as one of 200 emerging European Photographers, and subsequently one of 42 selected to present work to an expert panel in January 2014.

TULCA Visual Arts Festival 2014. Commissioned by curator Valerie Connor to produce work for

“The strongest images this year depict the fragile power of youth or maturity, and attempt to capture something of the nature of innocence and resilience. ‘Herbert’ by Robert Ellis is a stunning photograph of a young man in a blue T-shirt, part of a series depicting his subject’s teenage years” Cristin Leach, The Sunday Times, 2018

The Sunday Times, ‘Zurich Portrait Prize shows changing face of the arts’ by Cristin Leach, Oct 21st 2018.
Arteviste, “A review of Peckham 24 in London” by Lizzy Vartanian Collier, June 3rd 2017.
The Irish Independent, Weekend Supplement, “Shutter Ireland”, Aug 31st 2013
Show.Me.Pictures, “New Irish Works” by Michael Sargeant, July 20th 2013
Photomonitor, “New Irish Works”, by Sarah Allen July 31st 2013
The Guardian “Is the web photography's friend or foe?” by Sean O’Hagan, July 18th 2013
The Irish Examiner "Familiar Spaces" by Marc O'Sullivan, Oct 22nd 2011.
The Irish Times “A new wave of Irish Art” by Aidan Dunne, June 27th 2007.