MELBOURNE.- Sullivan+Strumpf opened two stunning exhibitions at their Naarm/ Melbourne gallery on view until Saturday June 15, 2025.
Chinese-Australian artist Lindy Lee’s practice has long focused on the relationship between material and process, drawing on her interest in Zen Buddhism and Taoist philosophy and the concept of silence. In this significant exhibition titled The Silence of the Elemental, she invites viewers to reflect on the profound silence inherent in nature and existence, offering an immersive experience that speaks to the quiet beauty of the world around us. The result of over a decade spent working with the raw, elemental forces of nature, The Silence of the Elemental encompasses a diverse range of media, including Lee’s signature fire and rain drawings—in which delicate perforations are scorched into ink-soaked paper marked by the rain, flung bronzes, perforated metal works, an illuminated polished steel sculpture and a small-scale version of her landmark work, Ouroboros, in pure silver.
A couple of years ago in London Lee saw a solo exhibition by British-born, Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare, where he had invited emerging African-British artist to exhibit alongside him. Inspired by his idea she wanted to do the same, as a natural extension of her career teaching younger artists.
Presented simultaneously with her solo, but in the separate Preview Room in the Sullivan+Strump Naarm/ Melbourne Gallery, Latent Trace is a collection of new works from two emerging Asian Australian artists whom Lee has mentored, and with whom she says she "shares a cultural sensitivity and connection, through Buddhism and Taoism. Both are deeply immersed in their spiritual and cultural practices, or familial contexts, which adds another layer to the shared sensibility between us”, Lee comments. Together, the works of these three Asian Australian artists evoke a deep dialogue on the transient nature of existence, bridging personal histories and universal themes of change and endurance.
Angie Pai
Born 1993, Taichung, Taiwan
Angie Pai is an artist working between Naarm / Melbourne (Australia) and Taipei (Taiwan). Her interdisciplinary practice is underpinned by expanded research in affective neuroscience, Taoist philosophy, and social work, which converge to form meditations on diasporic embodiment. Through experimental film, relief sculptures, textiles, paintings, and public programming, Pai examines transformative potentials catalysed at the intersection of relational psychology, transgenerational memory, and ancestral lineage. Anchored in analytical rigour, her ethos is enriched by experiences spanning the arts, education, design, media, and social science sectors. Guided by an unwavering commitment to educational outreach and meaningful impact, these efforts are dedicated to amplifying the voices of marginalised groups, fostering spaces for generative dialogue and deeper understanding.
Jingwei Bu
Lives and works in Adelaide
Jingwei Bu is an Australian-based interdisciplinary artist working across painting, sculpture, installation, performance, and video. Her practice explores cultural hybridity, time, and transformation, drawing from both Eastern and Western traditions. After Living in China, England, Germany, and Australia, Bu sees art as her fourth language and her ultimate home. Beginning with traditional Chinese charcoal portraiture, she now embraces conceptual approaches shaped by her transnational experience. Bu holds a Bachelor of Visual Art from Adelaide Central School of Art, where she received James Martin Award. Her work has been exhibited widely, with solo shows including Shadows of Time (Aptoz Cruz Gallery 2024), Pouring Tea Until It Is All Evaporated (Nexus Arts 2023), and Life Maps (the Mill Adelaide 2021). She has also participated in major group exhibitions such at South Australian Museum and Sauerbier House. Bu engages with endurance, ritual, and transformation through site-specific, durational works across Australia.
