another world, 2011
wood, mirror, wire, staples
36 x 36 x 2 cm
Photograph by Michal Kluvanek
dark, 2011
Metal cake tin, recycled plywood, wooden tape measure from Venice, Italy
55 x 73 x 4 cm
Photograph by Michal Kluvanek
Lee Salomone works across a range of media including installation, photography, sculpture and works on paper. He makes use of nature and natural materials to better understand culture and conversely, he utilises culture and constructed elements to comprehend nature. Of his series of works, the moon keeps talking Lee says: "Someone, somewhere, once said, that we are all held captive by our own biographies. From my experience, your childhood plays a major part in shaping that biography. My grandparents raised me during my early childhood. They instilled a tradition of growing food and a connection to land, which I have kept and fostered, all my life. This has carried over into my art practice, with Italian peasant rituals and traditions providing a life-long source of inspiration. I have been a practicing artist for twenty years now, but only recently has it occurred to me, that as a sculptor, I am a composer of recycled materials, or, as I see it.....a composer of found notes.' the moon keeps talking' is recent work made from recycled materials. The concept that best describes what I am trying to achieve is the Japanese term wabi, or "poverty and simplicity" where asymmetry, imperfection and rustic simplicity, allow for an expression of an innate essence to emerge."
Lee graduated from the South Australian School of Art in 1991 and lived in Europe in 1997, allowing him to undertake research into Italian folkloric customs. Between 2000 and 2004 he staged six solo exhibitions in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. He held his first international solo exhibition in Berlin, whilst living in Europe throughout 2005. In 2007 he worked in Italy for the 52nd Venice Biennale. The Migration Museum of South Australia and Mildura Art Centre both acquired his work in 2009 and in 2010 he held his fourth exhibition in Berlin.
Tertiary studies | |
1991–1989 | Bachelor of Arts, Visual Arts, University of South Australia, Adelaide, |
1988–1987 | Associate Diploma in Art, North Adelaide School of Art, Adelaide |
1986 | Certificate in Art, North Adelaide School of Art |
Solo exhibitions | |
2010 | der letzte wild lebende Fisch Galerie Kurt im Hirsch, Berlin, Germany |
2009 | interconnected Gallery 25, Mildura, Victoria, Australia |
2008 | new work, old concerns Watch This Space, Alice Springs, Australia |
2008 | speicherplatz galerie december, Berlin, Germany |
2008 | letting go Prospect Gallery, Adelaide |
2007 | after image Greenaway Art Gallery. Adelaide. Australia |
2005 | Silent Installations galerie kurt im hirsch, Berlin, Germany |
2004 | planetary and personal Greenaway Art Gallery. Adelaide. Australia |
2004 | Transference Tin Sheds Gallery, Sydney, Australia |
2003 | Between beauty and theory Gabriel Gallery, Melbourne, Australia |
2002 | Between beauty and theory Gallery 4A, Sydney, Australia |
2001 | Human Nature Greenaway Art Gallery. Adelaide. Australia |
2001 | footnotes from a periphery Riddoch Art Gallery, Mt. Gambier, South Australia |
2000 | Between beauty and theory Watch this Space, Alice Springs, NT, Australia |
1999 | footnotes from a periphery Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide |
1999 | Evidence Nexus Gallery, Adelaide |
1997 | Untitled 6 x 3 metre billboard, Adelaide |
1994 | As seen on TV Looking at the Billboard, Adelaide |
1993 | Intermittent [RE] Gallery, Adelaide |
1993 | Open Inspection Critical City, Adelaide |
1992 | Missing in Action Post West, Adelaide |
Selected group exhibitions | |
2011 | Home Stories Adelaide Central Gallery, Adelaide, Australia |
2010 | The New New Adelaide, Australia |
2010 | Home is where the heart is Migration Museum, 2010 Adelaide Festival, Adelaide |
2009 | Finalist, Prospect Portrait Prize 2009, Prospect Gallery, Adelaide |
2009 | Murray Darling Palimpsest #7, Mildura, Victoria, Australia |
2008 | Art Forum Kulanshi 2008 Art Centre Kulanshi, Astana, Kazakhstan |
2008 | Breeding Ground Jam Factory, Adelaide |
2007 | Drei Traeumer galerie kurt im hirsch, Berlin |
2006 | in other words ArtSpace, Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, Australia |
2005 | Finalist, The Waterhouse natural history Art Prize, South Australian Museum. Adelaide |
2003 | Finalist, The Waterhouse natural history Art Prize, South Australian Museum. Adelaide |
2003 | Sydney Fong Gallery, Geraldton, West Australia |
2003 | Watch this Space, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia |
2002 | Installations Stills Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, Australia |
2002 | terra primus Red Room Gallery, Adelaide |
2001 | Caveat Top Floor Gallery, Adelaide |
2001 | Palimpsest #4 Red Cliffs, Victoria, Australia |
2000 | Installations Stills Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia |
2000 | Country Port Pirie Regional Art Gallery, South Australia |
2000 | Palimpsest #3 Mildura, Victoria, Australia |
1999 | Landing2 Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia, Adelaide |
1999 | Palimpsest #2 Mildura Arts Centre, Mildura, Victoria |
1998 | Masque Nexus Gallery, Adelaide |
1998 | Beware of the Dog North Adelaide School of Art, Adelaide |
1996 | Finalist, Gasworks Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition Melbourne, Australia |
1996 | the human form as art Prospect Gallery, Adelaide |
1996 | polar madlove North Adelaide School of Art, Adelaide |
1996 | Fringe Gallery, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Adelaide |
1995 | Materials North Adelaide School of Art, Adelaide |
1994 | Great Manifestations Lion Arts Centre, Adelaide Fringe Festival |
1993 | Parcel Post Show Linden Gallery, Melbourne |
Selected professional development | |
2010 | Exhibited, lived & worked in Berlin |
2009–2008 | Mentor, Helpmann Academy mentorship scheme, Adelaide |
2008 | Exhibited, lived & worked in Berlin |
2007 | Visitor Service Officer, 52nd Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy |
2005 | Worked & traveled in Europe, exhibited in Berlin |
2005–2004 | Exhibition installer, Nexus Gallery, Adelaide |
2002-2001 | Designed visual interface for Distance a Parallelo new media / theatre project, Adelaide |
2001-2000 | Artsworker, Terrazzo Today Fogolar Furlan Italian community and Nexus, Adelaide |
2000 | Residency, new media, Media Resource Centre, Adelaide |
1998 | Teaching, Foundation Studies, North Adelaide School of Art |
Undertook research in Italian folk customs and practices, Italy | |
1997 | Teaching, Experimental Mixed Media Painting, North Adelaide School of Art |
1997 | Co-ordinator, Billboard Take Over Project Australian Festival for Young People, Adelaide |
1996 | Teaching, Foundation Studies, North Adelaide School of Art |
1995–1994 | Co-ordinator, Looking at the Billboard, 15 month billboard project, Adelaide |
Selected articles, bibliography, reviews | |
Lisa Harm Artlink, vol.30, no 4, page 80 - 81 | |
Louise Nunn Cutting edge Hit, The Advertiser, 02.12.2010, page 8 | |
The Last of the Wild Fish Artnotes, Art Monthly, issue 233 Sept. 2010, page 57 | |
Catherine Murphy Survival Instinct Bulletin, April – June 2009, pages 16 - 21 | |
The Oceans between and the idea as a bridge Kunst, 0804, page 45 | |
Ioana Veleanu The oceans and the idea as a bridge Exberliner, May 2008, page 38 | |
Lauren Sutter Artlink, vol. 28, no 2, page 94 | |
Louise Nunn Makers and mentors Review, The Advertiser, November 18, 2006, page12 - 13 | |
Louise Nunn Rough work reveals images in the sand The Advertiser, May 24, 2004, page 85 Artlink, vol. 24, no1, page 76 | |
On the road Artstate, number 01, 2004 page 7 | |
Diversity, Arts in a Multicultural Australia, Australia Council, February / 2003 | |
The Garden of the imagination Artstate, issue 24, summer 2002, page 22 | |
Wendy Walker Exploration of textured landscape The Advertiser, 10-10-2001, page103 | |
Kieran Finnane Between beauty and theory Artmonthly on line, reviews, 15-08-2000 | |
Neil Fettling Theorising the regions Artlink, vol. 20 #3, September 2000, pages 13, 57-59 | |
Stephanie Radok Mildura’s Palimpsest Real Time, June July 2000, No 37, page 11 | |
Stephanie Radok footnotes from a periphery Adelaide Review, # 191, August 1999, page 36 | |
Tim Lloyd Front page views The Advertiser, 31-07-1999, page 50 | |
Stephanie Radok World enough and time Adelaide Review, No 181, October 1998, page 37 | |
John Barbour Critical art in the city Broadsheet, vol. 26, no 2, Winter 1997, page 21 | |
Mark Thompson Blokes & Sheds The return of thrift, pages 22-23, Harper Collins, Australia | |
Mark Stephens Broadsheet, vol. 24, no 1, Autumn 1995, pages 15 18 | |
Sheree Tirrell arts monthly, The Advertiser, January 1995, pages 10-11 | |
David O’Halloran The Advertiser, 03-11-1993, page 23 | |
Louise Dauth Artlink, vol. 12, No 4, Summer 1992 / 1993, page 5 | |
Catherine Kenneally Agenda 23, May / June 1992, page 27 | |
Grants, Residencies | |
2008 | Artist Grant, ArtsSA |
2005 | Project Assistance Artist Grant, Arts South Australia |
2002 | Selected for inaugural Kultour from South Australia, Australia Council & Nexus |
2001 | Residency, Media Resource Centre, Adelaide |
1996 | Dept for the Arts and Cultural Development, South Australia |
1995 | Pat Corrigan Artist Grant, National Association for the Visual Arts |
1994 | Pat Corrigan Artist Grant, National Association for the Visual Arts |
1994 | Dept for the Arts and Cultural Development, South Australia |
1993 | Pat Corrigan Artist Grant, National Association for the Visual Arts |
Collections | |
Mildura Arts Centre, Victoria, Australia | |
Migration Museum, A Division of the History Trust of South Australia, Australia |