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David Palazón, born in Barcelona in 1972, is an accomplished designer and visual artist with an impressive record of professional achievements. He began his journey studying art and design in Barcelona, before furthering his education at the London College of Communication, the Royal College of Art, and the EICTV in Cuba. With a passion for exploration, he has traveled to over 50 countries across the globe, living and working in places such the UK, Ghana, Peru, Timor-Leste, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Bangladesh, Denmark and Pakistan. As a result, he has amassed a diverse and extensive portfolio of works spanning the fields of design, photography, documentary film production, visual anthropology, research, curation and management of arts and cultural projects.

 

A strong proponent of the power of culture and the arts, he believes these are fundamental drivers of progress and social transformation. He actively champions human rights and social justice through the arts, and leverages his skills to cultivate the talents of others through community-based and action research projects. 

 

In addition to his artistic pursuits, he has provided consultancy services to cultural and non-profit organisations, including various UN agencies. In 2019, he was appointed Curator of the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre by IOM—the UN Migration agency—in Bangladesh, tasked with developing and implementing the project from its inception. This experience led to long-lasting connections with many talented Rohingya photographers and artists, inspiring the creation of Rohingyatographer, an award-winning Rohingya refugee-led project in the largest refugee camp in the world, receiving the Casa Asia Award in 2024 in the category of Diversity, Inclusion and Sustainable Development.

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During his 8 years living in Timor-Leste, he produced a diverse range of projects, including: Chega! (Enough), a comprehensive exhibition for the Timor-Leste Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation (CAVR); Uma Lulik (The Sacred House), the first Timorese indigenous documentary. He also created various publications, events and exhibitions for organisations such as Timor Aid and the Secretary of State for Arts & Culture in Timor-Leste; some of his notable projects during this period include Tatoli ba Kultura (Return to Culture), a 4-year cultural mapping project with Griffith University, and National TimorGraphic, the first National Geographic publication and exhibition set in Timor-Leste.

 

David’s work has earned him international recognition and awards. His photobook Timor Runguranga, is part of the Martin Parr collection at the TATE in London. His documentary Wawata Topu - Mermaids of Timor-Leste  was awarded in 2013 the 'Chandrika Sharma' Special Prize at the 7th International Film Festival Pêcheurs du Monde in Lorient, France. To produce the film Uma Lulik, he received a DOCTV CPLP grant in 2009; the film received the audience award at the Brisbane International Film Festival in 2011. He received in 2007 a CLIP CETL grant to produce Artepreneurs, a documentary showcasing his work with students at the University of the Arts London. In 2004, he was recipient of an UnLtd* award for social entrepreneurs to develop El Documento, a film exploring the creative life of Spanish immigrants in London. In 2003 he received a Millenium Award from the Peabody Trust to produce Eye See, a compelling photo-voice projects across schools in North London showcased at the Royal College of Art.

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EXHIBITIONS

 

2024

2023

2022

 

2021

  • No Place Like Home (curator). Canadian High Commission, Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

2018

 

2017

 

2016

 

2014

  • David Palazón ou la Timorgraphie. Festival de Cinéma de Douarnenez, France

 

2008

  • Where is the Love? Feldman Gallery, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, USA

 

2007

  • Rich & Strange, Flock Gallery, University of Wales, Newport

 

2006

  • Wormhole Saloon V. Whitechapel Gallery

  • The Least Event. Flat-Time House, Camberwell, London

 

2005

  • Take 291, 291 Gallery, London 

 

2004 

  • Use Your Head, House Gallery, London

  • Eye See. Royal College of Art. Kingly Court Gallery in Carnaby Street, London. FAITH Centre in Haringey, North London

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FILM FESTIVALS & PUBLIC SCREENINGS

 

2023

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2021  

  • 7th Lusophone Film Festival, Dili, Timor-Leste 

 

2020

  • Les Aventuriers de la Mer, Lorient, France

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2019

 

2017

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2016

  • 44th Dance on Camera Festival, Film Society, Lincoln Center

  • National Museum of Ethnography, Portugal

  • Film Festival of Oceanographic Adventure, Océanopolis, Brest

  • Santa Marta Lighthouse Museum, Cascais, Portugal

  • 14th International Short and Independent Film Festival, Dhaka

  • Kinodiseea International Children Film Festival, Bucharest

  • 3rd International Children Film Festival of Odisha

  • 4th Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival 

  • 8th Festival International de Films Pêcheurs du Monde, Lorient, France

  • FACA, Açores

  • FIFO, Tahiti

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2015​

  • 2nd CPLP Civil Society Forum, Timor-Leste

  • Étonnants Voyageurs, France

  • 9th Mostra Internacional de Videodança, São Carlos, São Paulo

  • Rubin Museum of Art, New York

  • Festival Film Dokumenter Yogjakarta

  • Netpac Asian Film Festival, Yogjakarta

  • St Kilda Film Festival, Port Phillip, Australia

  • INSTIDOC, Maputo

  • Culture Unplugged

  • FACA, Lisbon

  • American Online Film Awards

  • 12th Festival International du Film Documentaire Oceanien, Tahiti

  • 7th Festival International de Films Pêcheurs du Monde, Lorient, France

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2014

  • Festival de Cinéma de Douarnenez

  • 5th Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries, Lucknow

  • Intimate Lens, Festival of Visual Ethnography, Caserta, Italy

  • Matsalu International Nature Film Festival, Estonia

  • American Online Film Awards

  • International Ethnographic Film Festival of Quebec

  • Nordic Anthropological Film Association Film Festival, Iceland 

  • Fundação Oriente, Dili

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2013

  • Maha Art Gallery, Bali

  • Kopi kultur, Bali

  • APERTURE South Pacific Ethnographic Film Festival, Melbourne

 

2012

  • Community Channel, UK

  • Kino 18, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 

 

2011

  • RTP International

  • RTP Africa

  • Brisbane International Film Festival

  • Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin

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2010

  • European Film Festival, Timor-Leste

  • TPA, Angola

  • TVM, Mozambique

  • TCV, Cabo Verde

  • TDM, Macau

  • RTVGB, Guinea-Bissau

  • TV Cultura, Brazil 

  • RTP1, Portugal

  • TVTL, Timor-Leste

  • Brasilidade Festival, Rio de Janeiro

  • Luanda International Film Festiva, Angola

  • Cinemateca de Lisboa

  • Hotel Timor

 

2009

  • Clube Literário do Porto, Portugal

  • European Film Festival, Casa Europa, Dili, Timor-Leste

 

2008

  • Cinema Nuovo Eden, Breccia, Italy

  • 4th International Conference for Learning and Teaching in Art and Design, Lycée Francais, New York

 

2007

  • Cinematheque de Tangiers, Morocco

  • Aichi World Expo 05, Japan

  • Create to Learn, SS Robin, London

  • South London Institute of Common Sense

  • FlatTime House, London

  • Camberwell College of Arts, London

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2006

  • Università Unitre Milano, Italy

 

2005

  • London College of Communication

  • Prince Charles Cinema, London 

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PRESS & REVIEWS

 

2023​

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2022​

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2018 

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2017

 

2016

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2015

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2014

 

2013 

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2011

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2009

 

2008

  • Shooting People

 

2007

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2006

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2005

  • Design Week, issue 35

  • Creative Review, October issue

  • In the Chair: Arty Politics. 21 October. South London Press

  • Funds Europe, July issue, pp. 70

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2004

  • Londres, en busca de un futuro mejor. Manuel Angel Mendez in La Nueva España

 

2003

  • Graphics International, issue 106 

  • Creative Review, May issue 

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TALKS & PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS

 

2022 

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2021 

  • Rohingya Cultural Memory. Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado (CEAR)

  • Community-building: Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre. Lusophone University of Porto

 

2018 

 

2017 

 

2016 

 

2012

  • Ethnographic Filmmaking. Cultural Diversity and Traditional Knowledge, UNESCO Seminar, Dili, Timor-Leste

 

2011 

  • Where is Graphic Design? London College of Communication 

 

2008

  • Artepreneurs. National Arts Learning Conference, RIBA, London

  • Community Authorship. Creative Teaching & Learning, London College of Fashion 

 

2007

  • Incidental Documentation. Demos Think Tank, London. Lia Perjovschi’s Chronology, Gallery Yujiro, London

 

2004

  • Widening Participation, London College of Communication 

 

2002

  • Graphic Design for Social Causes. ICOGRADA Conference, ADG-FAD, Barcelona

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AWARDS & GRANTS

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COLLECTIONS

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