J.J Lee
(1969–)
J.J Lee
1969–
JJ Lee (1969– ) is a Chinese-Canadian painter whose work blends and re-interprets Western and Chinese painting traditions. Lee incorporates a variety of sources to paint dynamic environments that investigate the interplay between art culture and identity. She uses a variety of visual references, such as textiles, botanical illustrations, advertising, and acupuncture charts, to create intricate environments.
Lee was born in Halifax and earned a BFA from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 1992. Later, she moved to Vancouver and founded Lotusland, an Asian-Canadian artists collective, after completing residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts. In 1999, Lee completed her MFA from York University in Toronto.
Lee's art has been displayed in various public institutions, such as the Vancouver Art Gallery and artist-run centers throughout the country. She has received numerous awards, including the Canada Council, Ontario Arts Council, RBC New Canadian Painting Competition, and Asian Canadian Artists Fund for Visual Arts. Her work is part of public and private collections in Canada and the USA.
Lee is associate professor of Contemporary Issues of Representation at OCAD University. She is represented in the Magenta Foundation’s Carte Blanche: Painting, a survey of contemporary Canadian painters.