Lesley Sanderson

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Lesley Sanderson
Born1962 (age 62–63)
Malaysia
Alma materSheffield Polytechnic
Known forExplorations of dual-heritage identity through art, particularly self-portraits.
StyleMixed media, oil pastel, acrylic and oil painting
MovementContemporary feminist art

Lesley Sanderson (born 1962) is a Malaysian British artist. [1] Her work typically focuses on explorations of her duel-heritage identity and its relationship with art. [2] Sanderson's work has been displayed in exhibitions internationally. [2]

Contents

Life and career

Lesley Sanderson was born in Malaysia in 1962, to a Malaysian mother and British father. She graduated from Sheffield Polytechnic with a BA in Fine Art in 1984. [2] She now teaches at the University. [2]

Sanderson's early works explored her own identity and mixed heritage using self portraits. [3] They often offered a commentary on the depiction and fetishization of 'exotic' women in art. [2] On this topic, Sanderson said: '“I think it’s particularly important that non-white women are represented in a way that provides an alternative to National Geographic-type media representations of ‘ethnic’ women being exotic, submissive and readily available for the gaze.”' [2] In her work she attempts to break away from such traditions and re-establish her identity on her own terms. [2] For her portraits Sanderson typically used oil pastel on paper or acrylic and oil on canvas. [2]

In 1988, she participated in an exhibition titled Along the Lines of Resistance: an exhibition of contemporary feminist art, at the Cooper Gallery, Barnsley. In this exhibition Sanderson states that she uses the self-portrait to address racist and gender stereotypes. [4] Her work also appeared in the 1988 exhibition Black Art: Plotting the Course. [1]

Sanderson's work for the exhibition Four x 4 reframed George Fredrick Watts' bust Clytie displayed at the Harris Museum in Preston. [2] Sanderson's interpreted Clytie as an 'emphatic symbol' in her objectification. [2] In response she created a series of self-portraits to be displayed alongside the bust. [2]

Sanderson's work was exhibited at The British Art Show 1990 as well as New North at Tate Liverpool. [2]

In the 1990s, Sanderson's focus shifted from works on canvas to mixed media forms while maintaining her signature themes of identity and her duel heritage. [2] Since 1998, she has been collaborating with Neil Conroy as Conroy Sanderson. [5] Their work aims to re-interpret understandings of cultural identity. [6]

Sanderson's work was featured in the book Shades of Black: Assembling Black Arts in 1980s Britain. [2]

Exhibitions

Selected group exhibitions

References

  1. 1 2 Ratnam, Niru (2002). "Sanderson, Lesley". In Alison Donnell (ed.). Companion to Contemporary Black British Culture. Routledge. p. 375. ISBN   978-1-134-70025-7.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Lesley Sanderson". Diaspora Artists. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  3. ↑ CFCCA Library and Archive. "Sanderson, Lesley, artist". Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art . Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  4. 1 2 Biswas, Sutapa; Edge, Sarah; Slattery, Claire (1988), Along the Lines of Resistance: an exhibition of contemporary feminist art, Barnsley: Cooper Gallery
  5. ↑ Out of Nowhere, Asia Art Archive, archived from the original on 2 February 2014, retrieved 1 February 2014
  6. ↑ "Artists explore the here and there of identity". Daily Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  7. ↑ "Diaspora-artists: View details". new.diaspora-artists.net. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  8. ↑ "Baltic Plus | British Art Show 3: 1990". balticplus.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  9. ↑ "Diaspora-artists: View details". new.diaspora-artists.net. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
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