Rozana Lee is Indonesian-Chinese New Zealand artist, born in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. She is currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and holds a Master of Fine Arts with First Class Honours from Elam School of Fine Arts, the University of Auckland (2018).
Working across textile, painting, moving image and installation, Lee explores global histories of encounter and exchange as a result of early migration, transmission of religion, trade and colonisation. Her research is centred on the ideas around migration, belonging, identity and cross-cultural mobility. Amy Weng writes of her textile work, "Lee is process-oriented. She seeks out symbols to express her own sense of being in diaspora. Her works are not precise copies of patterns, nor is her practice rooted in tradition. Rather, she attempts to show how the practice and symbols found within batik are porous and migratory, sedimenting generations of cultural encounter." Lee has undertaken artist residencies at Instinc, Singapore in 2016, and Making Space, Guangzhou in 2019. In August 2023, she participated in The Zhelezka Project in Central Asia supported by the Volkswagen Foundation and administered by the Social Innovations Lab Kyrgystan, the American University of Central Asia, and the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography. Recent exhibitions include Sekali pendatang, tetap pendatang, Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, 2023; Several degrees of attention, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Ngāmotu New Plymouth, 2022; Crossings, Adam Art Gallery Te Pātaka Toi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, 2021; Te wheke: pathways across Oceania, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, 2020; Reconfigure(d), Making Space, Guangzhou, 2019; and Two oceans at once, St Paul St Gallery, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, 2019. Lee has been a finalist in a number of art awards. She was recipient of the People’s Choice Award of National Contemporary Art Award (2021), the 3rd prize (2022) and the People's Choice Award (2018) of Estuary Art & Ecology Award, and the Runner up for Henrietta and Lola Anne Tunbridge Water Colour Scholarship Award (2018). Her works are held in public and private collections including Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū and the Arts House Trust. |
Current exhibitions/projects:
Education:
Scholarships:
Awards:
Finalists:
Artist Residencies:
Grant:
Collections:
Volunteering & art related jobs:
Press, Interviews, and Reviews:
https://contemporaryhum.com/calendar/rozana-lee-the-zhelezka-project?page=2
https://www.the-art-paper.com/journal/rozana-lee-te-uru
https://eyecontactmagazine.com/2023/06/cultural-osmosis-or-insoluble-non-absorbent-identi
https://northart/library/rozana-lee-interview
https://waikatomuseum.co.nz/about-us/news/article/
https://ourhamilton.co.nz/culture-events/silk-artwork-wins-peoples-choice-award/
https://aklcouncil/videos/world-of-cultures/
https://www.pantograph-punch.com/post/unmissables-july-2020/
https://www.meanwhilegallery.com/copy-of-current-5/
https://www.artzone.co.nz/post/collective-action/
https://artfair.co.nz/projects/rozana-lee/
https://artfair.co.nz/artwork/rozana-lee/
https://artfair.co.nz/artwork/a-round-table-discussion/
https://thebigidea.nz/stories/house-visits-connecting-cultures
https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/115047252/tactile-histories-fabrics-telling-stories
https://www.pantograph-punch.com/posts/review-two-oceans-at-once/
http://tinyurl.com/tsunamihour
Solo Exhibitions/Projects:
Selected Group Exhibitions:
Current exhibitions/projects:
- (02.03.24-27.04.24) Windows to the world, Homestead Galleries, Corban Estate Arts Centre, Auckland as part of Auckland Arts Festival 2024. https://ceac.org.nz/exhibitions/windows-to-the-world
- (09.03.24-30.06.24) Memory Lines, City Gallery Wellington. https://citygallery.org.nz/exhibitions/memory-lines/
Education:
- Master of Fine Arts, First Class Honours, Elam School of Fine Arts, The University of Auckland, New Zealand. (University Postgraduate Scholar), 2018.
- Post Graduate Diploma in Fine Arts (with Distinction), Elam School of Fine Arts, The University of Auckland, New Zealand, 2017.
- Bachelor of Visual Arts (with Distinction), Auckland University of Technology (AUT), New Zealand, 2015.
- Diploma in Investment, Institute of Banking and Finance, Singapore, 2001.
- Bachelor of Arts, English Language and Literature (with Distinction), The University of Methodist Indonesia, 1992.
Scholarships:
- Research Masters Scholarship, University of Auckland, 2018.
- Henrietta and Lola Anne Tunbridge Water Colour Scholarship, 2018.
- Summer Research Scholarship, University of Auckland, 2017-2018.
Awards:
- 3rd place, Estuary Art & Ecology Awards, 2022.
- People's Choice Award, National Contemporary Art Award, 2021.
- People's Choice Award (joint winner), Estuary Art & Ecology Awards, 2018.
- Runner up, Henrietta and Lola Anne Tunbridge Water Colour Scholarship Award, 2018.
- Artist Alliance Mentoring Programme recipient, 2016.
Finalists:
- Molly Morpeth Canaday Award 3D, 2022.
- Molly Morpeth Canaday Award, Painting and Drawing, 2021, 2017, 2015.
- National Contemporary Art Award, 2021.
- The Wallace Art Award, 2019, 2018.
- Parkin Drawing Prize Award, 2019, 2016.
- Estuary Art & Ecology Prize Award 2022, 2018, 2017.
- Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award 2017, 2016.
Artist Residencies:
- Aug 2023, The Zhelezka Project, Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan. https://comode.leibniz-ifl-projekte.de/2023/03/29/open-call-for-zhelezka-summer-school-on-the-tracks-through-central-asia/
- May 2019, Making Space, Guangzhou, China.
- March 2016, Instinc Gallery, Singapore.
Grant:
- Creative NZ, Creative Community Scheme, Auckland for Patches of Life 2004-2014: Indonesian Batik making project with primary school children and community around Auckland to mark 10th anniversary of Boxing Day Tsunami 2004 and touring exhibitions.
Collections:
- Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Wallace Arts Trust, New Zealand.
- National and international private collectors.
Volunteering & art related jobs:
- Curatorial Team, Window Gallery, The University of Auckland, Feb 2020-June 2021.
- International student mentor, Elam, The University of Auckland, 2018.
- Elam Galleries Committee member, 2017-2018.
- Elam Studio International Group mentor, 2017-2018.
- Artspace Auckland, 2016-2018.
Press, Interviews, and Reviews:
https://contemporaryhum.com/calendar/rozana-lee-the-zhelezka-project?page=2
https://www.the-art-paper.com/journal/rozana-lee-te-uru
https://eyecontactmagazine.com/2023/06/cultural-osmosis-or-insoluble-non-absorbent-identi
https://northart/library/rozana-lee-interview
https://waikatomuseum.co.nz/about-us/news/article/
https://ourhamilton.co.nz/culture-events/silk-artwork-wins-peoples-choice-award/
https://aklcouncil/videos/world-of-cultures/
https://www.pantograph-punch.com/post/unmissables-july-2020/
https://www.meanwhilegallery.com/copy-of-current-5/
https://www.artzone.co.nz/post/collective-action/
https://artfair.co.nz/projects/rozana-lee/
https://artfair.co.nz/artwork/rozana-lee/
https://artfair.co.nz/artwork/a-round-table-discussion/
https://thebigidea.nz/stories/house-visits-connecting-cultures
https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/115047252/tactile-histories-fabrics-telling-stories
https://www.pantograph-punch.com/posts/review-two-oceans-at-once/
http://tinyurl.com/tsunamihour
Solo Exhibitions/Projects:
- (18.03-23-30.07.23) Sekali pendatang, tetap pendatang, Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery, Auckland. https://www.teuru.org.nz/whats-on/calendar/rozana-lee-sekali-pendatang-tetap-pendatang/
- (22.05-22-02.07.22) A Way of Being Free, Northart Gallery, Auckland.
- (11.03.22-22.04.22) Birds from Another Continent, Auckland World of Cultures, Mangere Arts Centre.
- (13.02.21-20.03.21) Birds from Another Continent, Papakura Art Gallery, Auckland & (22.03.21-10.04.21)Onehunga Library & Community Centre.
- (21.08.20-05.08.20) Home is Anywhere in the World, MEANWHILE, Wellington.
- (29.04.20-17.05.20) Project 2020: Space As Substance, Auckland Art Fair, curated by Micheal Do.
- (18.03.20-04.04.20) Future Flowering, Play_Station, Wellington.
- (25.08.19) Tactile Histories, fabric collage workshop, Taranaki Art Festival, New Plymouth.
- (24.05.19-24.07.19) Reconfigure(d), Making Space, Guangzhou, China.
- (20.04.19) Balconies Facing the Sun, Auckland Art Fair dinner function, Hopetoun Alpha.
- (10.04.19-05.05.19) (Be)Longing, Window Gallery, Auckland.
- (16.11.18-01.04.19) To Begin Again, Above the Sofa: Artspace Auckland reading room.
- (22.11.18-25.11.18) To Begin Again, MFA Graduation Show, George Fraser Gallery, Auckland.
- (22.04.18 & 20.08.18) Tactile Histories, fabric collage workshops organised by Satellites (funded by Auckland Council) at Mt. Roskill and Te Tuhi, Pakuranga.
- (20.11.17-03.12.17) Ornamental Patterns: Reclaiming Excess and Difference, PGDipFA Graduation Show, Elam, Auckland.
- (25.07.17-06.08.17) Ornamentation and Abstraction, Sanderson Contemporary Art, Auckland.
- (23.03.17-11.05.17) Lost and Remembered, Corner Window Gallery, Karangahape Road, Auckland.
- (28.02.17-26.03.17) Beyond the Differences, Flexi Space, Wallace Gallery Morrinsville.
- (01.03.16-31.03.16) Singapore Sensation, Artist Residency and Solo exhibition, Instinc Gallery, Singapore.
- (12.11.15-14.11.15) On The Manner of Addressing Chaos, Graduating Exhibition, AUT AD15, Auckland. http://www.artsdiary.co.nz/76/2004.html
- (12.05.14-02.08.14) Patches of Life 2004-2014, Community Art Project and Touring Exhibitions to mark 10th Anniversary of 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. This project is kindly funded by Creative NZ:
- (12.05.14-25.05.14) Mt. Eden Village Center.
- (23.06.14-04.07.14) Northart Gallery.
- (19.07-02.08.14) Franklin Art Centre.
- (10.13) Tsunami Hour, Art Week Auckland event, Ponsonby Central, Auckland.
- (08.05.13-25.05.13) Tsunami Hour, Artstation (now Studio One Toi Tū) Auckland.
Selected Group Exhibitions:
- (09.28.23-08.10.23) 胎息, Tai Xi (That birth breath), Tui Tui Art space, Auckland.
- (08.23.23-08.27.23) 胎息, Tai Xi (That birth breath), Kurume City Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan.
- (09.07.22-07.11.22) Several degrees of attention, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Ngāmotu New Plymouth, Taranaki. https://govettbrewster.com/exhibitions/several-degrees-of-attention https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/467293/several-degrees-of-attention/
- (02.07.22-27.08.22) Estuary Art & Ecology Prize Award 2022, Malcolm Smith Gallery, Uxbridge, Auckland.
- (14.03.22-27.05.22) From Across Bodies of Water and Other Transient Objects, Gallagher Academy of Performing Art, the University of Waikato, Hamilton.
- (30.05.20-01.06.22) Te Wheke: Pathways Across Oceania, The Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Christchurch.
- (13.02.22-09.04.22) Molly Morpeth Canaday Award 3D 2022, Whakatane Museum and Arts, Whakatane.
- (18.09.21-20.02.22) National Contemporary Art Award, 2021, Waikato Museum, Hamilton
- (19.06.21-22.08.21) Crossings (a group show about intimacies and distances), curated by Christina Barton, Millie Riddell and Sophie Thorn, Adam Art Gallery Te Pātaka Toi, Wellington.
- (13.08.21-15.09.21) All is Full of Love, curated by Wesley John Fourie, Broker Gallery, 85 Beach Street, Queenstown.
- (28.07.20-27.09.20) Fluid Borders: Far Nearer, Wallace Arts Trust, The Pah Homestead, Auckland.
- (22.07.20-22.08.20) New Work, group exhibition, Melanie Roger Gallery, Auckland.
- (02.09.19-31.01.20) Wallace Art Awards 2019 Travelling Finalists exhibition, The Pah Homestead, Auckland and NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington.
- (05.08.19-08.09.19) Parkin Drawing Prize Awards exhibition, NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington.
- (04.07.19-27.09.19) Fluid Borders, Audio Foundation, Auckland.
- (14.02.19-17.05.19) Two Oceans At Once, curated by Cameron Ah-Loo Matamua and Charlotte Hudleston, St. Paul St Gallery, Auckland.
- (16.01.19-14.02.19) Once Upon A Time, curated by Philip Tse, Studio One Toi Tū, Auckland.
- (04.09.18-28.10.18) Wallace Art Awards 2018 exhibition, The Pah Homestead, Auckland.
- (16.08.18-25.08.18) Counter-sites: Onsite, co-curated exhibition for Studio international group exhibition, Elam Projectspace.
- (08.08.18-11.08.18) Henrietta and Lola Anne Tunbridge Water Colour Scholarship Awards, Elam Projectspace, Auckland.
- (09.07.18-11.08.18) Estuary Art & Ecology Prize Awards, Malcolm Smith Gallery, Uxbridge Centre, Auckland.
- (23.04.18-25.05.18) Unseen, Unheard, Unveiled, currated by Alice Tyler and Zoe Hoeberigs, Malcolm Smith Gallery, Uxbridge Centre, Auckland.
- (01.05.18-06.05.2018) In the Language We all Understand, Elam Projectspace, Auckland.
- (05.03.18-.9.03.18) Summer Research Show, Elam Projectspace Gallery, Auckland.
- (20.10.17-12.11.17) Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award Exhibition, Waiheke Art Gallery, Waiheke.
- (07.10.17-05.10.17) Artweek Auckland, Look@KRoad, curated by Lyn Dallison, Auckland.
- (08.08.17-22.08.17) Here, There, and The Space in Between, Studio International exhibition, George Fraser Gallery and Elam Project Space, Auckland.
- (23.08.17-14.09.17) I Live for that Energy, curated by Philip Tse, Studio One Toi Tū, Auckland.
- (10.06.17-15.07.17) Estuary Art and Ecological Prize Awards, Malcolm Smith Gallery, Auckland.
- Jan 28 - March 12, 2017, Molly Morpeth Canaday Art Award exhibition, Whakatane Museum and Art Gallery, Whakatane.
- (22.10.17-14.11.16) Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award, Waiheke Art Gallery, Waiheke.
- (08.10.16-16.10.16) Artweek Auckland, Look@Kroad curated by Lyn Dallison, at BNZ 129 Karangahape Road, Auckland.
- (02.08.16-28.08.16) Parkin Drawing Prize exhibition, The Academy Galleries, Wellington.
- (26.06.16-13.07.16) Northart Members' Exhibition, Northart Gallery, Auckland.
- (30.03.16-21.04.16) The Colour of Your Heart is What Matters, curated by Philip Tse, Studio One Toi Tū, Auckland. http://artsdiary.co.nz/80/2110.html
- (21.02.16-08.03.16) Chance and Change, Northart Gallery, Auckland. http://artsdiary.co.nz/79/2076.html
- (10.10.15-18.10.15) Artweek Auckland, Look at K Road, Auckland.
- (08.15-09.15) Reaching the Horizon and Beyond, curated by Philip Tse, Malcolm Smith Gallery, Uxbridge & Studio One Toi Tu, Auckland. http://artsdiary.co.nz/70/1873.html
- (05.15) Pilot Project 4, Strangely Familiar, AUT St. Paul Street Gallery 3, Auckland. http://www.artsdiary.co.nz/bt67/1787.html
- (05.15)Members' Mid Year Exhibition, works selected by Jennifer Buckley, director of Orexart and past director Auckland Art Fair), Northart Gallery, Auckland.
- (03.15) Between Tides, Westmere Beach, Auckland.
- (01.15-03.15) Molly Morpeth Canaday Art Award exhibition, Whakatane.
- (03.15-02.15) Northart Members' Show, Northart Gallery, Auckland.
- (10.14) Artweek Auckland, Victoria Park Market, Auckland.
- (05.14) Northart Members' Midyear Exhibition (works selected by Tim Melville, Tim Melville Gallery), Northart Gallery, Auckland.
- (03.14) Tools of The Trade Project by JJ Morgan, Paul Nache Gallery, Gisborne.
- (01.14-02.14) Treasure to Treasure,The Northart Summer Members' show, NorthArt Gallery, Auckland. http://artsdiary.co.nz/bt48/1320/1.html
- (11.13) Painter's Progress, Artstation, Auckland.