Adam Lee’s painting and drawing practice ties together narratives of memory, imagination and transcendence. Through his works on canvas and paper, Lee builds worlds where allegory and atmosphere coalesce to suggest a highly personal outlook informed by collective folklore and legend. His work references a wide range of sources including historical and family photographs, spiritual narratives, natural history, and contemporary music, film and literature to investigate aspects of the human condition in relation to ideas of temporal and supernatural worlds. These explorations find their physical manifestation in Lee’s well-honed individual style, characterised by moody landscapes and a contemporary take on tenebrism.

Lee has exhibited throughout Australia and internationally.  He was recently invited to participate in Melbourne Now at NGV Australia, and the 2021 Kyneton Contemporary Art Triennial, Holding the Circle. He has been a finalist in The Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize (2021, 2019, 2015, 2013); The Geelong Contemporary Art Prize (2014); National Works on Paper Prize exhibition (2014); The Churchie National Emerging Artist Award (2012, 2011); The Redlands Westpac Art Prize (2010); The Rick Amor Drawing Prize (2010); and The Sir John Sulman Prize (2010, 2006). His works are represented in public and private collections in Australia and internationally.

Adam Lee

Dry Bones, Crying Stones

26 August – 23 September 2023

sydney

Dark is the night before day

Jon Cattapan, Adam Lee, Clare Milledge, Nell, Jason Phu, Heather B. Swann & Jake Walker

9 June – 18 June 2023

off-site

AL1

Adam Lee

World Sick Hermit

29 January – 26 February 2022

melbourne

Photo 7-1-21, 10 47 48 am

Quarantine Art Fair

Jon Cattapan, Consuelo Cavaniglia, Adam Lee, Dane Lovett, Nell, Jonny Niesche, Tom Polo, Reko Rennie, Gareth Sansom, Michelle Ussher, Isadora Vaughan, Yevgeniya Baras

7 January – 10 January 2021

art fair

Adam Lee

O Restless Earth

5 September – 3 October 2020

sydney

gallery view

Pleasure Plants

Adam Lee, Sam Martin, Clare Milledge, Sean Peoples, André Piguet, Michael Staniak, Marian Tubbs, Michelle Ussher, Isadora Vaughan

11 September – 26 October 2019

sydney

STATION BOOTH_002

Sydney Contemporary

Adam Lee, Sam Martin, Clare Milledge, Marian Tubbs

10 September – 15 September 2019

art fair

AL+JC_web image

Adam Lee & Jon Cattapan

STRATUM

23 February – 23 March 2019

melbourne

S

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Jon Cattapan, Adam Lee, Sam Martin, Nell, Tomislav Nikolic, Michelle Ussher, and Jake Walker

16 June – 21 July 2018

melbourne

Untitled-1

Adam Lee

Lament Asunder (All is Dark is Midnight to Me)

24 January – 18 February 2017

melbourne

Lee

Adam Lee

Eden. Exile. Babel.

28 February – 21 March 2015

melbourne

Ronnie van Hout 'Extra Leg'

In the Dust of This Planet

Steve Carr, James Deutsher, Anna Kristensen, Adam Lee, Tim McMonagle, TV Moore, Michelle Ussher & Ronnie van Hout

1 November – 22 November 2014

melbourne

Untitled-1

Ready Player One

Daniel Boyd, Jon Campbell, Jon Cattapan, Nadine Christensen, David Griggs, Anna Kristensen, Adam Lee, Laith McGregor, Moya McKenna, Tim McMonagle, Séraphine Pick, and Tom Polo

4 February – 8 March 2014

melbourne

Adam Lee

Into the Heart of the Sea and to the Roots of the Mountains

16 November – 21 December 2013

melbourne

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Adam Lee

The World Travailing

28 August – 29 September 2012

melbourne