Dr. David Oates was born in Manchester, England in 1971. After obtaining his PhD, he began working as a photographer, curator and writer in 2003. In 2007 David established the curatorial group Kiosk, whose aim was to both showcase the work of emerging photographic artists and to extend the audience for their work by exhibiting in spaces outside the bounds of the traditional gallery system. Since 2009 David has made an ongoing series of works in collaboration with artist Mishka Henner, under the collective name BlackLab, an organisation designed to create works in which images interact with sound, music and texts through the creation of short films and montages. In addition to the production of new work, BlackLab attempt to revivify the presentation of images by hosting events that combine performance, projections and propaganda. David worked as treasurer, vice-chair and director of the photography network Redeye between 2004 and 2009. David’s photographic work has been exhibited at Manchester’s Cornerhouse, Ashton Art Gallery and Manchester Central Library and the University of Manchester.