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kyslyn tun | belfast-based photographer and visual artist

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about

kyslyn tun (they/them) is a filipino-chinese queer photographer and visual artist based in belfast, northern ireland. born in saudi arabia and migrating to northern ireland in their youth, they pursued visual art and is a 2025 graduate in ba (hons) photography with video at ulster university's belfast school of art.

kyslyn approaches their practice with a perspective of fashion and portraiture, in both areas of their commissioned and personal work. addressing community, identity and individuality is central in their conceptual practice, specifically in the context of ethnicity, migration, sexuality and gender politics. being concerned with the representation and uplifting of queer and ethnic minority voices encourages them to reveal these intersections through their processes of image-making.kyslyn has exhibited in group shows including their graduate project margin of being at the belfast school of art annual degree show (2025) and the ulster university photo fair amalgamation (2025). kyslyn's upcoming exhibition is part of the bien project (2026) at belfast exposed, in partnership with the office of inclusion and cultural expression.kyslyn's print and online publications involve the second issue of punctum (2025), ulster university's photography society magazine, and source's graduate photography online 2025 in which they acted as co-lead student in collating the year group's submissions.

artist cv

education

publications

• ➝ a frabjous state of affairs (06/2025) - graduate photography online 2025, source magazine

collaborations

equinox (2026)

fashion designer cillian dornan invited me to photograph at the queen's university fashion society showcase 'equinox', their 2026 fashion show held at carlisle memorial church in belfast. a collaboration with ulster university's fashion and textiles designers, this runway features a diverse selection of incredibly talented artists and models along with live performances and an enthusiastic audience. the show's proceeds went to women's aid, in light of the rise of violence against women in northern ireland and emphasising the impact of women in the industry.

margin of being (2025)

margin of being was my graduate project for my bachelor's degree in photography with video at ulster university's belfast school of art.this is a performative series that questions complex identities, and the relationships a specific community can have with their ethnicity, femininity and queerness. it considers the personal and external tensions associated with these intersections. the project is a collaboration with people through text and photographs, creating a safe space for conversation, where the fluidity of queerness is embodied and presented simultaneously with the experiences of those from minority ethnic backgrounds.the conflicting needs for intimacy and safety drive the use of fabric, clothing and embodied expression to enable them to speak with confident movement and embrace their freedom. in contrast, the portraits are a depiction of confrontation and resilience arising from the layers of their selfhood. situating the subjects in isolated environments illustrates unbelonging, yet amplifies the solidarity in the subjects' shared experiences.margin of being aims to be a cathartic and provocative demonstration of self-identity.

ginge by sarah fee (2025)

in may 2025, textiles designer sarah fee asked me to photograph her graduate collection of fabric samples, standard headshots with a white backdrop and studio lighting, and portraits of sarah in her screen printing workspace. we both made decisions on how to mount the fabrics for efficient and appealing presentation, displaying an array of textures, patterns and colour palettes.

• @sarah.fee.textiles (instagram)

the hardest step (2025)

these are a series of set stills i produced for a group of belfast met students for their video project the hardest step. cinematographer cormac o'halloran approached and asked me to participate under the direction of jack smyth. i photographed on the day they filmed at a hospital set they created on campus, and worked alongside a crew that was student-led yet professional.'after being in a life-changing car accident, aoife must overcome her grief of losing her identity to take her first steps in rebuilding herself.'

PTRNS (2025)

i worked with bangor-belfast based band PTRNS from february to august 2024 and in april 2025, promoting their performances and the debut of their first and second single 'magnolia' and 'at least for tonight' respectively. i wanted to document their presence in the local music scene and the energy they sparked and brought to their audiences.thank you to leo, nicole, ryan, paddy and tom for the honour of capturing your talent.

• @we.are.ptrns (instagram)

samantha lightbody (2024)

for this series, a collaboration with knitwear designer samantha lightbody for her 2024 fashion graduate collection, we created a studio set that flaunted her selected garments inspired by her childhood. natural daylight from the atrium windows of the set and the use of summery picnic props aided in highlighting the knitwear's vibrant colour palette, star motifs and patterned stitching.modelled by maitiu catherwood and leah hutchinson.

• @samantha.knits (instagram)

a queer space in landseer (2023)

‘safe space’ is a term describing an inclusive place where a group can have freedom of expression, find like-minded individuals and experience peace. this photographic series explores what defines this term, and how we can create spaces for ourselves to compensate for venues that no longer contribute to our needs as a queer community.this work is paired with my other series a night in union street (2023).

a night in union street (2023)

‘safe space’ is a term describing an inclusive place where a group can have freedom of expression, find like-minded individuals and experience peace. this photographic series explores what defines this term, and how we can create spaces for ourselves to compensate for venues that no longer contribute to our needs as a queer community.this work is paired with my other series a queer space in landseer (2023).

dubai, uae (2024)

i met some of my extended family in person for the first time, who travelled from norzagaray in the philippines to the uae where my uncle and cousin lived. i spent two weeks with them; i tried to spend as much time with my uncle and cousin when they weren't working. this a personal documentary on my journey through dubai, sharjah and abu dhabi in february 2024.sa aking mga kapamilya; hanggang sa muling pagkikita.

aimee and anneli (2023)

as part of a university project i ran a model call on social media; aimee and anneli kindly reached out and volunteered to model. i asked them to arrive in black clothing, hair down and neutral makeup, then provided each of them with a wardrobe of garments and accessories. we paired garments together and discussed makeup styles, eventually shooting a collection of portraits in cathedral quarter and st anne's square.

so close, so far away (2022)

so close, so far away was my first public installation, as part of ulster university's annual degree show in 2022. as a foundation photography student, i created this project surrounding my family heritage, culture and my parents' emigration from our homeland. i wanted to discuss the notion of transnational identity, travelling across continents in search for better opportunities.physical prints on the wall were accompanied by interactive audio files and a printed transcript.