DEAN QIULIN LI
Dean is a photographic medium artist who lives and works in Sydney. His works explore the essence of reality, memory and history.
Through associative thought processes that connect the everyday and the esoteric, the overlooked and the commonplace, Dean’s work involves a questioning of reality and memory, as well as a reinvention of both the modes of appearance and the creation of the history. His work can be reminiscent of a network with multiple connections and the fragments of an embedded story. It is ultimately a huge set of hidden clues to be deciphered, encouraging viewers to make their own associations and invent their own narrative in order to unravel the complexity staged by the artist.
Dean holds a Master of Art degree from the University of New South Wales Art and Design (COFA), and his works have been exhibited extensively in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra, receiving positive acclaim. Dean’s artistic achievements include awards from the Center for Contemporary Photography in Melbourne and a shortlisting in the Head On Photo Festival and the Australian Photo Award.
EDUCATION
2019 Master of Art, UNSW Art & Design (COFA), Sydney Australia
2017 Bachelor of Digital Design, AIT, Sydney Australia
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Those Stubborn and Romantic People, Puzzle Gallery, Sydney Australia
2022 Mirage, Puzzle Gallery, Sydney Australia
2021 A Young Black Kangaroo, Huw Davies Gallery(Photo Access), Canberra Australia
2021 A Young Black Kangaroo, TCS Window, Sydney Australia
COLLABORATIONS
2025 Evening Harmony, Collaboration with Zi Qin and Jincheng Deng, Firstdraft, Sydney Australia
2023 Two Mirrors, Collaboration with Oliver Poignant, AirSpace, Sydney Australia
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 From the Studio, Blank Gallery, Sydney Australia
2023 Broken Armor, Darlings Gallery, New York City USA
2023 Cast, Mounted Ari, Springwood Australia
2023 Hello Goodbye, Goodspace, Sydney Australia
2023 Horse Girl, Darlings Gallery, Sydney Australia
2023 Group show 05, Abstract Thoughts Gallery, Sydney Australia
2022 Crowd, Puzzle Gallery, Sydney Australia
2022 Summer Salon 2022, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne Australia
2019 Intermix, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney Australia
2018 This is What I Have to Show for It, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney Australia
PUBLICATIONS
2020 A Young Black Kangaroo, Hard Cover Book, Sydney Australia
2018 2037, Printed Zine, Sydney Australia
AWARDS
2022, Winner, Best Staged Photography, CCP Australia
2020, Final list, Headon photo festival
2019, Shortlist, Australian photography award
PRESS