Oriana Lee Exhibit Opening and Reception

Exhibit: September 2024

Opening/Reception: Wednesday, Sept 4, 5:00pm-8:00pm

ARTIST STATEMENT
As a compelling multi- and interdisciplinary creative, my work explores themes of relationality, well-being, empowerment, and human rights. Through written, vocal, visual, and performance arts, I create both unique single-discipline and cross-disciplinary works that inspire critical thinking, promote human connection, encourage leading-edge thought, and engage healing. Peace, love, unity, fun and self-knowledge - the traits of Hiphop, are foundational to my Afrocentric art practices and are the principles that support growth and relationships and growth across humanity.

BIOGRAPHY
ORIANA LEE identifies as a queer, interdisciplinary artist of African descent, currently living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Brought up in the Southern United States (TN), Lee’s artistic lens is primarily one of Southern American Blackness and Hiphop, often fused with aspects of traditional African culture through patterns, symbols, and storytelling. Lee’s contemporary art practice includes recycled/upcycled art, visual, installation art, music, literature, and performance.
 
Having worked and created primarily as an MC, writer/poet, and performer for the past three decades, Hiphop is the culture that Lee lives and breathes. During the pandemic, Lee’s work began to encompass visual and upcycled arts. Lee’s work explores themes of relationality, human rights, and empowerment. Through incorporating objects from nature and found objects otherwise destined for the junkyard, Lee’s work represents how we, humans, are always reinventing ourselves. Lee is currently a member of Vital Spaces (Santa Fe, New Mexico). 
 
Some of the venues where Lee has performed and presented work are the EXIT/IN (Nashville, TN), Fox Theater (Atlanta, GA), Hard Rock Cafe (Memphis, TN), Lensic Performing Arts Center (Santa Fe, NM), Museum of International Folk Art (Santa Fe, NM), Santa Fe Community College, Midtown Campus Fine Arts Gallery (Santa Fe), La Chancla DIY Gallery (Albuquerque, NM), and Revolt Gallery (Taos, NM). Lee has also been published in magazines, journals, and poetry anthologies. Lee is mother to five beautiful and artistically talented humans.