About Michael
Michael Dean Morgan is an Australian-born photographer working predominately in documentary and street, focusing on various aspects and aesthetics of human culture.
Born in Darwin, Michael studied New Media Design at Charles Darwin and Curtin Universities before going on to work as a studio designer. After some years of commercial work, Michael began what would be his first of many trips into Asia to indulge his thirst for exploration and photography.
Michael Dean Morgan’s photographic practice is grounded in the relationships he creates with his environment and subjects. He starts by wandering the streets over long periods of time, observing what he finds and creating new interpretations.
In “Looking for Bali” Michael begins his photographic exploration of Bali, discerning a vision of the island and a unique approach to photographing its people and culture. This is Morgan’s debut book, published with Afterhours in Jakarta.
In “Praying in the Rain” he shapes visually what spirituality looks like in Bali. Trying to break away from old stereotypes and over-photographed scenes, Michael creates a new way to see Balinese Hinduism that reflects what it really looks like in the 21st century.
In his ongoing project “Electric Dreams”, Michael documents Indonesian home coffee stalls (warung) and their old analogue tv sets. It’s a project that snapshots the colourful warungs of the 1970-90s, but also the idiosyncratic nature of Indonesian television advertising.