Born 1967 Ballarat, Victoria. Works and resides in Melbourne.
My work has a number of entry points. The primary one is an exploration of the subject, of the nature and limits of the experiencing self. The viewer's experience is the site upon which this question about the nature of subjectivity and perception is generated.
I attempt to structure the experience of an art work for the viewer in such a way that perception is revealed to be an active and creative act. I hope to create an unfolding experience that draws attention to the circular and contingent relationship between the subject and the object, the viewer and the viewed. The notion of the boundary between the interior and the exterior is central in my work. The various screens, frames and mirrored surfaces are materials that I employ to problematise the demarcation between the real world and the internal world of the viewer. In this regard the writings of Merleau-Ponty are influential, in particular his idea of the Intertwining or the Chiasm . The work is speculative rather than definitive; on occasions proposing a model of the intertwining of subject and object and at other times the infinite regress of perception.
A corollary of this is the idea of the interrelatedness of place and context. On a number of occasions I have attempted to draw relationships between a particular architectural site or landscape and the expanded field of its geographic, cultural or temporal context that constitutes both its uniqueness and interdependence. I have done this through a number of methods including the camera obscura and internet technology.
Finally the work draws on site specific, ephemeral installation practices, utilising in particular the fugitive aspects of light, space, sound and time from a particular locality. The work therefore seeks to question conventional notions about the form or object-hood of art and by extension is an exploration of materiality and contingency.
Leslie Eastman
December 07
Qualifications
Bachelor of Arts, Melbourne University
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons), RMIT University
Masters by Research, RMIT University
Leslie Eastman studied literature, history and philosophy at Melbourne University and completed a Masters in Fine Art at RMIT.
Leslie Eastman is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. at Monash University, is a member of the Paradoxa research cluster at Monash University and is also affiliated with the Space and Environment research cell at RMIT.
Professional activities
Painting Studio Coordinator, MA Seminar Coordinator, Department of Fine Arts, Monash University
Selected Solo and Collaborative Projects
2007 Apartment, at Apartment
2006 Synoptic 06 with Natasha Johns-Messenger, Mir 11, Melbourne
2005 Formless, commissioned by Experimenta Art Inc for Vanishing Point, Melbourne
2004 Pointform, with Natasha Johns-Messenger, Conical Gallery, Melbourne
2002 Several Contingent Provisionalities, Penthouse and Pavement, Melbourne
1998 Cube, with Andy Thomson and Daniel von Sturmer in Strangely Familiar, curated by Claire Williams, ACCA, Melbourne, part of the Melbourne-Scotland Cultural Exchange
1998 Untitled, Grey Area Art Space Inc, Melbourne,
1998 In the Light of the Other 1st Floor Artists and Writers Space, Melbourne
1997 Scan, Studio 12, 200 Gertrude St, Melbourne
1997 General Review of Gain and Loss, with Andy Thomson and Daniel von Sturmer, Westspace, Melbourne
1997 Flux, Stripp Gallery, Melbourne
1996 In Time 1st Floor Artists and Writers Space, Melbourne
1996 The Art of Listening, with Brenda Ludeman , Nicole Tomlinson and Georgina Konstandakopoulos, Linden Gallery, Melbourne
Selected Group Exhibitions
2007 An answer for the parts only itinerant sighs can fathom, curated by Storm Gold, Victoria Park Gallery, Stranger Geography curated by Kit Wise, Palazzo Vaj Prato Italy,
2005 Australian New Media Art, Museum Of Contemporary Art, Skopje, November,
2005 Australian Video Art 5uper, Museumsqartier, Vienna,
2004 The Visible and the Invisible commissioned for Swoon, ACCA, Melbourne
2003 Video Projects, Kings Space Gallery, Melbourne
2003 VCA Projects, Curated by John Neeson, VCA Gallery , Melbourne
2002 Gating curated by Michael Graeve, Westspace, Melbourne
2002 We don’t Charge for Looking, curated by Laressa Kosloff, Block Gallery, Sydney
2000 10 Years, Platform, Melbourne
1998 @ curated by Kate Shaw, 200 Gertude Street, Melbourne
1998 Lux, Curated by Julian Savage, 1st Floor, Melbourne
1997 Flat, curated by Michael Goldsmith, RMIT Project Space, Melbourne,
1997 Adjacent, curated by Susie Atiwell, 200 Gertrude St, Melbourne
1996 Dermartology, curated by Stephen O’Connell, 200 Gertude St, Melbourne
1996 Focus #2 Robert Lindsay Gallery
Selected Awards
2007 Australia Council Educator development Grant: Venice Biennale
2006 Australia Council; New Work
2005 Experimenta Art Inc. Commission Funding
1998 Australian Film Commission Grant for @, 200 Gertrude St, Melbourne
1997 Arts 21 Grant for General Review of Gain and Loss, Westspace, Melbourne
1997 Pat Corrigan Grant for General Review of Gain and Loss
1997 RMIT Postgraduate Award
Selected Bibliography
2004 Swoon, Robert Nelson, The Age, 9th of August
2004 The Visible and the Invisible, Rebecca Coates, Catalogue essay for Swoon, ACCA
2004 Through streets of Glass to the City of Gold, Kerrie-Dee Johns, Un Magazine, Issue 2
2004 Swoon, Andrea Tu, Broadsheet, Contemporary Visual Arts and Culture, Volume 33, No3
2003 VCA Projects, Robert Nelson, The Age, 12th June
2002 Public Hangings Interview, Andrew McKenzie
2002 Through a Glass Darkly, Robert Nelson,, The Age, 7th September
2000 Good Thinking, Daniel Parmer and Julian Savage, Ist Floor Artists and Writers Space
2000 Webcams, The aesthetics of Liveness, Daniel Palmer, LIKE, Art Magazine, 12 (Winter 2000), 16-22
1998 Games of Selective Vision, Peter Timms, The Age, 23rd September
1998 @ Review Eyeline Issue 37, Daniel Palmer, Spring, 38-9
1998 The Edge of Reality, Anita Bragge, Herald Sun, 19th of September
1998 Morning Star Evening Star, Claire Williamson, catalogue essay
1998 Strangely Familiar, Danny Huppatz, Art and Text, October
1998 A General Review of Gain and Loss, Stephen O’Connell, Art and Text, April
1998 General Review of Gain and Loss, Tanya Eccleston, catalogue essay
1997 Flux , Brenda Ludeman, Like Magazine, November
1996 Brenda Ludeman and David Thomas, 'Focus #2 MMM', catalogue essays, Robert Lindsay Gallery , Melbourne, Australia
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SELECTED COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
2006 Synoptic 06 with Natasha Johns-Messenger, Mir 11, Melb, 2005 Formless, commissioned by Experimenta art Inc for Vanishing Point, Melb, 2004 Pointform, with Natasha Johns-Messenger, Conical Gallery, Melb, 1998 Cube, with Andy Thomson and Daniel von Sturmer in Strangely Familiar, curated by Claire Williams, ACCA, Melb, 1997 General Review of Gain and Loss, with Andy Thomson and Daniel von Sturmer, Westspace, Melb 1996 The Art of Listening, with Brenda Ludeman, Nicole Tomlinson and Georgina Konstandakopoulos, Linden Gallery, Melb.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2006 Apartment, at Apartment, 2002 Several Contingent Provisionalities, Penthouse and Pavement, Melb. Eraserhead, RMIT Project Space, 1998 Untitled, Grey Area Art Space Inc, Melb, In the Light of the Other 1st Floor Artist and Writers Space Melb.,1997 Scan, Studio 12, 200 Gertrude St, Melb, Flux, Stripp Gallery, Melb,1996 In Time 1st Floor Artist and Writers Space, Melb.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2007 An answer for the parts only itinerant sighs can fathom, curated by Storm Gold, Victoria Park Gallery, Stranger Geography curated by Kit Wise, Palazzo Vaj Prato Italy, 2005 Australian New Media Art, Museum Of Contemporary Art, Skopje, November, Australian Video Art 5uper, Museumsqartier, Vienna, 2004 The Visible and the Invisible commissioned for Swoon, ACCA, Melb, 2003 Video Projekt, Kings Space Gallery, Melbourne, VCA Projects, curated by John Neeson, VCA Gallery , Melbourne, 2002 Gating curated by Michael Graeve, Westspace, Melb, 1998 Lux, Curated by Julian Savage, 1st Floor, Melb, 1997 Flat, curated by Michael Goldsmith, RMIT Project Space, Melbourne, Adjacent, curated by Susie Atiwell, 200 Gertrude St, Melbourne, 1996 Dermartology, curated by Stephen O’Connell, 200 Gertude St, Melb.
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