Artist’s Statement
Rei's work is currently investigating Japanese Australian identity, archived through contemporary paper cutting arts practice. Inspired by her mixed-race heritage, Rei's work documents community and family histories in the medium of hand-cut paper.
Biography
Elysha Rei (pronounced eh-lee-sha ray) is a Japanese-Australian artist that explores narratives of cultural identity, site-specific history and environmental elements through paper cutting and public art. She has a Bachelor of Visual Arts from USQ (2008), a Masters in Business Administration (2018) and is currently undertaking a PhD at QUT exploring how Nikkei Australian identity is archived through contemporary paper cutting arts practice. Rei has created and exhibited work, curated exhibitions and managed cultural spaces across Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Thailand and the US. She founded the international artist residency program, Sam Rit Residency in rural Thailand in 2014, and co-founded the Artist-Run-Initiative Made Creative Space Toowoomba from 2011-2013. She has been an invited artist in residence for Museum of Brisbane, Artspace Mackay, and Barcaldine Arts Council. In 2018 was the recipient of an Asialink Arts Creative Exchange in Japan. She has public artworks in Brisbane, Toowoomba and Warwick, and artworks in the collection of the Westin Brisbane, Brisbane City Council, Warwick Regional Council, Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, QIC and the University of Southern Queensland. From February to April 2023 Rei was artist in residence in Victoria BC, Canada, as part of the Past Wrongs Future Choices global project. In 2022, Rei became the inaugural Chair of Nikkei Australia.
Influences
Japanese Australian history, archives, family history
Awards
Asialink Arts Creative Exchange 2018
Exhibitions
2023:
7-10 February: BrisAsia Festival Creative Residency, Brisbane Powerhouse
February-April: Artist in Residence with the Past Wrongs Future Choices Project, Victoria, BC, Canada
22 February - 26 March: three paper cut works featured in Old Meets New: An Exploration of Japanese Traditional to Modern Art, Sunnybank Multicultural Gallery, Brisbane, organised by the Brisbane Seinendan Japanese Community
21 March 3.30pm-5pm PDST / 22 March 8.30am-10am AEST / 9.30am-11am AEDST - In-person and online presentation for the Centre for Asia Pacific Initiatives 'Kiri-e Nikkei: the interstices of diasporic displacement'
2 May-10 June: newly commissioned work in Precision: the art of cutting, Metro Arts, Brisbane, curated by Stephanie Lindquist and Minqi Gu
27 May 10am-1pm - Paper cutting demonstration at Metro Arts, Brisbane as part of the Brisbane Art and Design Program
25 August 11am-1pm - 'War Brides' talk online and in person at Queensland State Archives
12 October - 25 November: newly commissioned work in Precision: the art of cutting, Warwick Art Gallery, curated by Stephanie Lindquist and Minqi GuWebsite
Showing all 3 artworks
Elysha Rei
White boxed beta
30 x 30 x 5 cm Hand cut paper in box frame $280.00
Elysha Rei
Fish and Ships II
17 x 12 x 3 cm Hand cut washi paper in frame $550.00