Biography
Elif Sezen is an Australian-Turkish multidisciplinary artist, bilingual writer, poet, researcher and translator. She recently received
her PhD in Fine Art from Monash University (2014). She studied Painting in Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Fine Arts (2004); she obtained her M.A. in Sculpture from the same University (2007). Elif also briefly studied violin in Epik School of Music. She holds a diploma in Art Therapy, and is interested in facilitating therapeutic art-making workshops in community settings. She lives and works in Melbourne.
Elif's practice evolves through various media
including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, print media,
installation, performance, digital media, artist's books and poetry. In her work she
speculates upon reconceptualising memory traces emerging from
familial/personal/collective trauma and loss. This explorative process
leads her to rather a restorative and even a celebrative notion of
self-construction, desire, longing and a sense of homecoming.
Recently featured in
2018– Elif’s work on a collective performance featured in Contemporary Performance Almanac 2018
2016–Elif’s poetry, visual works and essay featured in University of Edinburgh’s Dangerous Women Project: http://dangerouswomenproject.org/2016/12/26/camille-claudel-the-dangerous-french-sculptor/
April-May 2015 – Elif was featured in Melbourne Magazine as a cover artist, by City of Melbourne: https://issuu.com/cityofmelbourne/docs/melbournemag_aprilmay15_issuu She was also interviewed by SYN Radio in April 2015 regarding the same interdisciplinary exhibition on Gallipoli: http://syn.org.au/interview-elif-sezen-on-gelibolu/
Awards/Grants
2023- Shortlisted for Born Writers Award #2 https://www.bornwritersaward.com/home-page/born-writers-award-2-shortlisted-works
2021- First Prize in Poetry - YTB Turkish Literary Awards, Ankara (SBS Turkish Radio interview link: https://www.sbs.com.au/language/turkish/audio/ytb-tuerkce-oedulleri-yarismasinin-siir-kategorisi-birincisi-melbourneli-elif-sezen )
2020- Finalist in Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Prize, Noosa Regional Gallery, Queensland https://www.noosaregionalgallery.com.au/exhibition/lyn-mccrea-memorial-drawing-prize-2020/
2020- Finalist in John Leslie Art Prize, Gippsland Art Gallery, Melbourne https://www.gippslandartgallery.com/exhibition/john-leslie-art-prize-2020/
2020- Finalist in Wyndham Art Prize, Wyndham Art Gallery, Melbourne
2020- Finalist in Tom Bass Sculpture Prize, Juniper Hall, Sydney
2019- Finalist in Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Prize, Noosa Regional Gallery, Queensland
2018- Co-winner of 'People's Choice Award', Moreland Summer Show, Counihan Gallery in Brunswick
2018- Honorable mention in Literature, Yunus Emre Awards 2018 Australia, Melbourne
2013- Research Publications Grant Scheme, Monash University, Melbourne
2012- Shortlisted for the 61st Blake Prize (Director's Cut exhibition), Sydney
2010- Shortlisted for the Avni Olez Poetry Prize 2010 in Turkish Literature, Ankara
2005- Achievement Award in Familiarizing with the Art and Culture of Europe Project, Art exhibition titled Multicultural Identity: Cultural Heritage, Art, Image, financed by the European Union, Centre of Contemporary Arts and Culture, Ankara
2002- Second Prize in the Human Rights Photography Award, held by Human Rights Presidency, Ankara
2020- Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Prize, Noosa Regional Gallery, Queensland https://www.noosaregionalgallery.com.au/exhibition/lyn-mccrea-memorial-drawing-prize-2020/
2020- John Leslie Art Prize, Gippsland Art Gallery, Melbourne https://www.gippslandartgallery.com/exhibition/john-leslie-art-prize-2020/
2020- Wyndham Art Prize, Wyndham Art Gallery, Melbourne
2020- Tom Bass Sculpture Prize, group exhibition, Juniper Hall, Sydney
2019- Holy, Honest Confluences, group exhibition (curated by Dr Rebekah Pryor), ACU Gallery, Melbourne. Exhibition catalogue available through this link: https://files.pixpa.com/25126/1575426945742-8070.pdf
2019- Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Prize, group exhibition, Noosa Regional Gallery, Queensland
2019- Language and Liberty, Moreland Summer Show group exhibition, Counihan Gallery, Melbourne
2019- The Second Homecoming, Solo exhibition, Counihan Gallery in Brunswick
2019 – Love Letters to Feminisms, Trocadero Art Space, Melbourne
2018- Osten Biennial of Drawing Skopje 2018, Macedonia
2018- Peace and the Pursuit of Happiness, Moreland Summer Show group exhibition, Counihan Gallery, Melbourne
2018- The Morris Art Prize exhibition, Carrara Markets, Queensland
2018-Face to Face – Group exhibition, BlackCat Gallery, Melbourne
2017- AMA 2017 - Group exhibition, Islamic Museum of Australia, Melbourne
2015-2016 –Projection of Elif Sezen’s poem took place in the New Year’s Eve at Bracka Street, in the context of ‘Poems on the Walls’ project of e-multi poetry event, Cracow – Poland
2015- A Single Grain of Rice, International small-format art show, Gallery Metanoia, Paris
2015- Gelibolu: A Turkish-Australian Perspective on Gallipoli, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne
2014-Speak Out: Moreland Summer Show, Group exhibition, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick
2013- Night Watch, Elif Sezen's PhD solo exhibition, MADA Gallery, Monash University, Caulfield
2013- Projections13- A World Congress on Communication & Arts Exhibition, Deakin University, Melbourne
2013- Blake Prize Director's Cut Exhibition, featuring works by artists shortlisted for the 61st Blake Prize, Organized by the Blake Society Ltd., Sydney
2012- Out of Place: An Ongoing Archive, Organized by 22:37 & Berlinerpool, Corpo 6 Gallery, Berlin
2012- Library Thoughts-2, Budapest exhibition, Curator: Beata Szechy – HMC (Hungarian Multicultural Centre ), Budapest
2011 & 2012- Gertrude Street Projection Festival, Melbourne
2009- Venice Biennial, Poetic Network: ‘Save the Poetry’, Collective online Poetry performance (Curator: Caterina Davinio), Italy
2008- Out of Bounds: Art, Faith and Religiosity, An Interdisciplinary Event, Monash University, Melbourne
2008- Convergence, Group Exhibition, Shifted Gallery, Richmond
2007- Contemporary Turkish Arts in Australia, group exhibition, Nussinov Art Gallery, Redfern-Sydney
2007-Two Perspectives in Print, Print media group exhibition, Project Art Gallery, Wollongong
2007- Painting/Print media solo exhibition, Turkey Is Bank Art Gallery, Izmir
2006- 4th International Student Triennial, University of Marmara, Istanbul
2004- New Proposals-New Propositions 12, Group exhibition, Borusan Art Gallery, Istanbul
Presentations
2021- Women and Peace, Zoom event organised by Turkish American Association Minnesota, Minnesota
2021- For the Love of Writing Festival, Zoom event organised by Society of Women Writers Victoria, Melbourne
2008- Poetry and the Trace: An International Conference, Victoria State Library, Melbourne
2008- Missing Persons: An Interdisciplinary Conference for Postgraduates, University of Western Sydney, Sydney