Emma Bourke
Production design.
Emma Bourke is a Production designer and Art Director, working in both the Gold Coast and Sydney. In 2015 she graduated from the University of New South Wales with a BFA in Fine Arts: Photography. She has previously worked as a Freelance Make-up artist for 5 years in TV and Film. Emma completed her Masters of Screen: Production Design at The Australian Film, TV and Radio school in 2018. Emma was the winner of the 2019 APDG Emerging designer award, reflecting her Production design on the Short film, ‘Sweet Tooth’, and in 2022, was nominated for her design for the short film, ‘The Home Team’. Emma was most recently featured as part of the ‘2023 : Talent to look for’ list in IF Magazine.
“My Fine Art captures a personal history, retelling my memories and forming a clarity and order to my personal grieving process. Themes I explore include memory, bereavement, presence and space, as well as how these factors are gendered. These themes act as catharsis, a process of release of the effects of strong emotions and tragedy. My interest lies in utilising the everyday, shaping it to become something greater and spectacular. I find by reframing particular, perhaps banal memories and experiences, making becomes a sort of therapy. I photographically recreate objects or people to describe and externalise my memories and emotions.”