Sam Kissajukian (38) is a comedian and visual artist based in Sydney who's been working professionally as a stand-up comedian for over a decade. He's toured globally in the USA, UK, Europe and around Australia.
In 2021, Sam stopped performing due to a 5 month Bipolar manic episode. In this prolonged episode he made 300 large paintings, documenting his mental states daily. In mid 2022, after recovery, diagnosis and treatment, Sam began performing again as well as holding his first solo exhibition.
Since 2022, Sam’s practice uses a ‘two tier approach’ incorporating storytelling techniques mixed with spoken word and comedic examination of his visual art and practice paired with a curated exhibition. Together these represent broad exploration of the artistic process, mental health and its ties to creativity.
Sam’s since held six solo exhibitions. Arts institutions span Edinburgh's Summerhall UK, NSW’s Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Sydney's Stanley Street Gallery, Adelaide’s Immersive Light & Art, twice at Brisbane Powerhouse and upcoming at New York's Vineyard Theatre.
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Awards
Best Solo Exhibition - Adelaide Fringe 2024
Visual Arts and Design weekly Award - Adelaide Fringe 2024
Best Comedy weekly Award - Adelaide Fringe 2024
Mental Health Awareness Award - Adelaide Fringe 2024
Lustrum Award - Edinburgh Fringe 2024
NZ Touring Award - Melbourne Fringe 2023
Best Comedy weekly Award - Perth Fringe World 2023
Best Comedy Award - Sydney Fringe 2023
Best Comedy Award - Sydney Fringe 2022
Directors Choice Award - Sydney Fringe 2022
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Publication reviews​
300 Paintings
5 star review - North West End UK 2024.
5 star review - FringeFeed 2024. Read review.
4 star review - The Guardian 2024
4 star review - The Scotsman 2024
4 star review - British Theatre Guide 2024
5 star review - Snap Judgement Reviews 2024
5 star review - Arts Hub 2023. Read review.
5 star review - Glam Adelaide 2023. Read review.
5 star review - Mindshare.org 2023. Read review.​
4 star review - The Age, 2023
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Museum of Modernia (Performance with Exhibition)
5 star review - The List UK 2024. Read review.
5 star review - Glam Adelaide 2024. Read review.
5 star review - Mindshare.org 2024. Read review.
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Paintings of Modernia (Exhibition)
5 star review - Mindshare.org 2023. Read review.
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Solo Exhibitions
Immersive Light and Art - Adelaide 2025
Vineyard Theatre - New York 2024
Summerhall In Vitro Gallery - Edinburgh UK 2024
Stanley Street Gallery - Sydney 2024
Brisbane Powerhouse Brisbane - Brisbane 2024
Immersive Light and Art - Adelaide 2024
Victorian Trades Hall - Melbourne 2023 (selection)
Sydney Fringe Side Show Gallery - Sydney 2023
Brisbane Powerhouse - Brisbane 2023
Maitland Regional Art Gallery - NSW 2023
Comedy Lounge - Perth 2022
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Group Exhibitions
107 Projects - Sydney 2022​
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Media Interviews:
Feature Interview and exhibition tour on ABC's TV show 'The Art of...' - August 2024
Feature Interview - Sydney Morning Herald - 2024
Feature Interview - The Age - 2024. Read article.
SANE Australia, 'People like you' podcast 2024. Listen to interview.
'Young Blood Men's Mental Health' podcast 2024. Listen to interview.
Fest Mag interview - 2024. Read article.
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