Lehan Winifred RAMSAY

Lehan Ramsay, Collaborative Photographic Works - Jan - April 1987, John Mills National, Brisbane

BIO

Born Brisbane 22 February 1964, Died 4 July 2016, Maclean, NSW

Lehan Winifred Ramsay, also known as Leanne Ramsay was a tireless and dedicated educator, arts activist, photographer, painter, curator, writer and artist who in her early career was an enthusiastic, visionary and active participant and collaborator in the Brisbane/Queensland artist-run scene during the 1980s and 1990s.

Lehan collaborated passionately with many activists, artists, designers, actors, photographers, writers, poets and media makers on artist-runs including The Observatory Gallery in Little Roma Street, The Artworker’s Union (Qld), the Queensland Artworker’s Alliance, Crux, That Contemporary Art Space, John Mills National, Arch Lane Public Art, Axis Art Projects, The Billboard Project and throughout the course of her professional arts career spanning three decades was included in significant solo and group exhibitions in Queensland, throughout Australia, Japan and around the globe.

Quotes

“Some 20 years ago, when Lehan Ramsay was struggling to live and
work in Japan, someone she knew sent her $1,000. Knowing she
had a safety net really helped her to get through the tough period.
Now a PhD student in the Faculty of Art & Design at Monash
University, Lehan has been inspired by the memory of this sense of
safety. She has donated that same amount of money – $1,000 – as a
bursary for an up-and-coming final year Visual Arts student. The
bursary has been awarded to Palistha Kakshapati, who is from Nepal.
Lehan also felt motivated to give as she feels a sense of obligation
because she did not have to pay fees when she was an
undergraduate student in Australia.

“When my grandmother died, she left me a gift and that has enabled
me to give something away,” says Lehan.

“The generosity of giving always means you gain so much more than
you lose. When someone gave me $1,000 they made me feel that
I could change the world … I hope Palistha becomes successful so
she can give in the future.”

from The Circle of Giving

Lehan Ramsay featured in Philanthropy Feels Great !

Edition Two, 2009

https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/133969/2009-2.pdf

Art Practice Keywords:

Educator, Artist, Photographer, Blogger, Writer, Curator, Activist

Artist Role Keywords:

Artist-run collaboration

Collaboration/ Collaborator names Keywords:

1984- 1985 The Observatory Collective, including artists Lehan Ramsay, Anna Zsoldos, Robyn Gray, Jay Younger and many others, Brisbane

1987- 1989 AXIS Art Projects

1990 Space 90, Queensland College of Art, Brisbane

1990-1991 The Billboard Project, Brisbane

Collections

Public Collections including the Queensland Art Gallery, Griffith Artworks, University of Queensland Art Museum

Various Private Collections

CV

CV – tba

Read more:

A Perspective of Web Art, Lehan Winifred Ramsay, 2009

Excerpt

Part 2 – A Personal History

“What must be taken into account when reading accounts of history is that histories are the creations of writers, rather than re-creations of the past.” 1

“(experimental art)……privileges idea above image, discussion above rhetoric and is antagonistic to the investment art market and the commodification of art. “2

My art practice began in Brisbane in a time of great expansion and experimentation, and much as I’ve struggled to separate myself from Brisbane, both physically and emotionally, I must acknowledge it’s influence on my life and art practice…

http://lehanwramsay.blogspot.com.au/2010/04/there-is-long-and-complicated-story.htmlam/PDF/view