Lyndal Walker

In their words: Lyndal Walker

Lyndal Walker's solo practice has been concerned with themes of gender, identity, time and fashion. The nature of images and the process of looking are core conceptual concerns that pervade her photographs and installations. Challenging gender stereotypes and exploring fluidity have been an aspect of her practice for many years and she has done this through forms that challenge convention and fine art traditions. She is concerned with the role of photographs in our lives and her works have often confused the nature of objects and images She has used fashion accessories to interrogate personal identity and retail interior design tropes such as changing rooms and mirrors, to consider personal and collective transformation. In recent years she has had solo exhibitions at Hangmen Projects, Stockholm, Weserhalle, Berlin and the Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, where she had a one year residency. Between 2018 and 2019, she featured in group exhibitions at Hosek Contemporary, Berlin, The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne and The Gallery of NSW, Sydney. Her work has been published and written about in publications including Frieze, Art & Text and Artforum as well as numerous Australian newspapers and magazines. In 2019 she launched a collaborative publication with the painter Tony Clark, ‘Ephemerality is all very well: portraits of Rowland S Howard’. Through her writing in the book, Walker explores the nature of portraiture, loss, fandom and memoriam. The artists missed the opportunity to make portraits of Rowland Howard while he was still alive and the book commemorates the legendary singer and guitarist who played in The Birthday Party and features in Wim Wenders’ ‘Wings of Desire’. Walker’s writing practice includes essays, memoir, social commentary and academic papers. She has participated in conferences including the 2014 ‘Fashion in Fiction’ Symposium at The City University of Hong Kong; Non-Fiction Now at RMIT in 2012 and her work has been published in academic journals including Meanjin and The Australasian Journal of Popular Culture. She has also curated exhibitions including ‘Girls Girls Girls’ in 2008 and ‘Snow-dropping in the concept store’ in 2004. Walker has has held lecturing positions at Universities including Monash, RMIT and the Victorian College of the Arts. Between 2004 and 2017, Walker was a member of ‘The Hotham Street Ladies’ who do food inspired projects ranging from recipe books and cake decoration to installations and street art. In 1994 Walker was one of a group who began ‘1st Floor Artists And Writers Space’ which ran until 2003 and was an important part of the gallery scene at the time. Artists including Kate Beynon, Ricky Swallow, Nat and Ali and David Noonan exhibited at 1st Floor. Walker was also one of the founding members of ‘Citylights’ a 24-hour public gallery in light boxes. She was a member of the board and programming committees of West Space, Melbourne from 2011 to 2015. Lyndal walker lives in Berlin and Melbourne.