Karina Lax
Artist & Photographer
An artist and photographer, blending social documentary with staged photography, and research imagery into digital collage.
Through consideration of interpersonal relationships, culture and place, she examines how we are shaped and how we shape others.
Current exhibitions: Care & Defiance, Centrala Space, Birmingham 1-27th May 2026
A Creative Constellation: Contemporary Women in the Arts, National Portrait Gallery, London 2023-ongoing
Recent exhibitions: Our Freedom: Then & Now at Southbank Centre and JW3 London, Barnsley Foto Festival 2026. Karina was also a winner of British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Britain 2023
Press, publications & talks
Portrait of Britain, Vol.5, Hoxton Mini Press, 2023
Guardian Cowboys, Cops and Coffee Mornings; Portrait of Britain winners Vol.5, 12 Jan 2023
Redeye Photography Network Instagram takeover, Jan 2023
Creative Commission, Talented Photographer spotlight, 2022
Redeye Photography Network, Instagram spotlight, Jan 2019
Gal Dem Magazine, March 2019 Magid Magid portrait, Meet the politicians giving us life, March 2019
Lens Think Yorkshire, Instagram takeover, November 2018
Redeye Photography Network, Les Monaghan and Karina Lax, talk,Sheffield Oct 2018
University of Huddersfield, talk, 2018
First Day photo book, Sept 2018
Lilac Magazine, Experience fashion editorial , May 2017
Sicky Magazine, Out of the Past fashion editorial October 2016
Collabs/ Commissions
Portrait, editorial, content creation, commercial and entertainment:
Washington Post, D&AD, High Snobiety, Magid Magid, Gruff Rhys, Thomas Collier Studio, Thread Architects, Self Esteem, Adelphi Music Factory
Jaywing, TVC
Vibration Group/ Full Circle Entertainment, Quintessentially, Snapdragon, Hatters, Story
Prizes, scholarships & aquisitions
Nottingham Trent University Sabbatical awarded for the development of collective project Squad Goals, exploring the representation of physically active women & girls in photography (2023-24)
British Journal of Photography A Portrait of Britain Winner, Vol 5 (2023)
Print acquired by the National Portrait Gallery Oct 2021, Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem)
Rector’s Scholarship, London College of Communication, Oct 2012
Shortlisted for The Jeff Vickers FRPS Genix Imaging Bursary/ Royal Photographic Society, Young Commercial Photographers 2009
Recent Exhibitions
Barnsley Foto Festival 2026
Our Freedom: Then & Now at Southbank Centre and JW3 London
Care & Defiance, Centrala Space, Birmingham
A Creative Constellation: Contemporary Women in the Arts, National Portrait Gallery, London. Supported by the Chanel Culture Fund, June 2023-onwards
Portrait of Britain, 2023: National Street Exhibition of Portrait of Britain winners, 2023. Sponsored by JC Deceaux
Creative Connections -National Portrait Gallery, Millennium Gallery, Sheffield June-Oct 2022
Interactive Arts Alumni Exhibition, Manchester School of Art, March-June 2020
Past exhibitions
Base Materials, Millennium Gallery, Sheffield Aug-Oct 2019
Archive Sheffield for Healthwatch, Winter Gardens, Sheffield Aug 2019
First Day photo book launch/ exhibition, EyeEye, Sheffield Sept 2018
___In the Room, London College of Communication MA Photography graduates, Shanghai May 2015
MAP 14 Final Show, London College of Communication, Nov 2014
Mill Co Annual Show, The Mill Co Project, Mandarin Wharf, London 2012
Mill Co Annual Show, Vyner Street Gallery, London 2011
Mill Co Annual Show, The Russian Club, London May 2010
Review: Creative Review May 2010
Review: Dazed Digital May 2010
Karina Lax, Port Street Gallery, Manchester 2006
Review: BBC Online 2006
Group show: Bishop’s Move, The Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh 2003
Group show: Northern Graduates, The Curwen and New Academy Gallery, London 2002