Lesley Turnbull's recent completion of a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) at RMIT University in Melbourne marks a significant milestone in their artistic journey. Their research, which explores the fluidity of gender, sexuality, and identity through intersectional and autoethnographic lenses, reflects a profound commitment to unpacking the complexities of human experience.

Utilising a diverse range of mediums including photography, print, sculpture, video, performance, text, sound, and installation, Lesley's work investigates the ways in which art and visual representation shape societal perceptions of identity and subjectivity. Moreover, they incorporate notions of place, particularly through a historical lens, to examine how memory and time intersect to inform our understanding of the present.

Lesley's interdisciplinary approach, characterised by a dedication to both theoretical exploration and practical experimentation, engages with broader social and political discourses through examining archives, aiming to provoke critical reflection and dialogue. By exploring the historical context of specific places, they seek to uncover layers of meaning that contribute to our contemporary understanding of identity and society.

Furthermore, Lesley's artistic expertise extends beyond academic pursuits to inform their commercial work in portraiture and headshots. Drawing upon their fine art background, they offer a unique perspective that pushes the boundaries of conventional approaches in commercial photography. By delving into themes of gender, sexuality, and identity, Lesley invites a collaborative approach with participants (aka clients) with depth and sensitivity to create portraits that resonate on both visual and emotional levels. This intersection of artistic vision, historical inquiry, and commercial practice sets them apart, enabling them to create portraits that offer compelling narratives. By challenging conventions, Lesley aims to contribute to discussions on gender, sexuality, identity, memory, and place within personal, cultural and and societal contexts.

CV

Solo Projects & Exhibitions

Evoking The Invisible Lesbian, Site Eight Gallery, RMIT School of Art Gallery, Melbourne (2023)

The Broadsheet Project, Commissioned Public Artwork, Siteworks, Melbourne (2021)

Tomboy in Training [Performance] Testing Grounds, Melbourne (2019)

Pin Up Project, Testing Grounds, Melbourne (2017)

Wildfang, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney (2017)

H o r s e s, Tacit Contemporary Art Gallery, Melbourne (2015)

Throw Like A Girl, Queen Victorian Women’s Centre, Melbourne (2015)

The Tomboy Project, RMIT University School Of Art Gallery, Melbourne (2013)

Wildfang, Site Eight Gallery, RMIT School of Art Gallery, Melbourne (2010)

Cleanliness is Next To Grubbiness, First Site Gallery, Melbourne (2009)

Teratoma, Off The Kerb Gallery, Melbourne (2009)

Selected Group Projects & Exhibitions

 Hero Image (2021), Quanzhou Biennia 2023 Hero Image (2021), l, Guangdong Museum of Art, China (2023)

 Dark Room Encounters, Photo-2022 International Festival, First Site Gallery, Melbourne (2022)

Hero Image (2021), Pingyao International Photography Festival 2022, China (2022)

Leith, [Vid.1:08 loop] a Covid-19 curatorial project for the New (ab) Normal, online and exhibited at RMIT Gallery, Melbourne (2020)

CCP Colour Factor Salon Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne [shortlisted] (2019)

Midsumma Festival Australia Post Prize, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne [winner] (2018)

MELT Portrait Prize, Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane [winner] (2017)

Head-On Photo Festival Portrait Prize, Sydney Museum, Sydney (2014)

Fruhlings Salon, Michael Dooney Gallery, Berlin (2015)

Cirriform, Listhus Artspace, Ólafsfjor̈ður, Iceland (2015)

Trollaskaga Community Art Festival, Ólafsfjörður, Iceland (2015)

The Well Spring – International Women’s Day, Photonet Gallery, Melbourne (2014)

Gender Typ(0)es, Midsumma Festival, Project Space Gallery, Melbourne (2013)

SPAN, Stockroom Gallery, Kyneton, Victoria (2012)

Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne (2011)Travel Endowment Scholarship Award Exhibition, RMIT School of Art Gallery, Melbourne (2011)

Un-Gendering Landscapes, Salon Exhibition, London (2011)

Education

RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia (2019-2023)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) *Examiners recommendation: Top 5% of contribution in the field of research. Joint supervisors: Professor Daniel Palmer, Associate Dean of Research and Innovation, School of Art, RMIT University and Dr Richard Harding, Head of Printmaking, School of Art, RMIT University (2019-2023). 

This RMIT University stipend practice-led research PhD, titled ‘Evoking The Invisible Lesbian Through Creative Practice’ was informed by queer phenomenology, feminist practise and philosophies and class analyses. I investigated photography, sculpture, sound and performance through site-specific installations to explore ways in which social and cultural landscapes and queerness shaped a lived experience.

RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia (2011-2013)

Masters by Research

Joint supervisors: Associate Professor Linda Williams, School of Art and Dr Jazmina Cininas, School of Art Printmaking.

Recipient of the Australian Post Graduate Award (APA) Scholarship to undertake research for ‘Throw Like A Girl: The Tomboy Project.’ This creative analytical research approach explored photography and storytelling to investigate the term “tomboy” within a contemporary queer context.  This was a collaborative project with participants who self-identified as tomboys.  Ages spanned from 14 to 75 years old. Findings and artwork culminated in an installation of works in various public places, such as alongside a self-published book and dissertation.  

 RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia (2007-2010)

Bachelor of Fine Art (Photography) (First Class Hons and Vice- Chancellor’s High Achievement Award)

Photographic Studies College, Melbourne, Australia (2006)

Diploma of Photography

Teaching and Supervision Experience

Lecturer - Sessional: RMIT University, School of Art (2019-present), teaching within the Undergraduate and Post Graduate Fine Art and Photography Programmes

Lecturer - Sessional: School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University, Melbourne (2015- 2019)

Photography Teacher, Parkville College, Melbourne (2014-2016)

Guest Lectures and Talks

Delivered two lectures by invitation:

Lecture titles: ‘Queer Methodologies’ and ‘Semiotics, Photography & Feminism’.

Visiting Artist, GIL ART SPACE, Aukureyri, Iceland (2015)

Opportunity to share research undertaken during the artist-residency to North Iceland

Visiting Artist, Teesside University, North Yorkshire, UK (2016)

This was an Invitation to present research and artworks created during a research trip to Iceland, funded by Creative Australia (2015)

Publications 

Turnbull, L. (2023) ‘Evoking the Invisible Lesbian Through Practice-led Research’ in RMIT University Research Repository https://researchrepository.rmit.edu.au/esploro/outputs/doctoral/Evoking-the-invisible-lesbian-through-creative/9922258211801341?institution=61RMIT_INST

Turnbull, L. (2013) ‘Throw Like A Girl: The Tomboy Project’ in RMIT University Research Repository https://researchrepository.rmit.edu.au/esploro/outputs/graduate/Throw-like-a-girl-the-tomboy/9921863759501341?institution=61RMIT_INST

Residencies, Research and Presentations

Artist-In-Residence Program, St Margaret’s House, Edinburgh (2023)

This was an opportunity to open creative exchange with researchers based in Scotland exploring lesbian and queer practices. Seminars and presentation of works.

Field trip to the Lesbian Archive, based at Glasgow Women’s Library (2019)

Research of working-class Scottish lesbian ephemera circa 1980-1990. Research findings culminated in a public installation and presentation of large-scale printed material titled The Broadsheet Project (2021). I am currently making steps to bring The Broadsheet Project to Glasgow in conjunction with the Glasgow Women’s Library in 2025 – pending.

Artist-In-Residence hosted by Siteworks, Melbourne, in conjunction with ‘Making Space Program’ funded by Merri-bek City Council. (2020)

This initiative helped fund The Broadsheet Project in 2021; a public installation of paste up prints, and a batch of screen-printed mock broadsheet newspapers. The work was an appropriation of printed material from Lesbian Archive, in Glasgow. This was an opportunity to recontextualise and reposition lesbian histories, and to invite new dialogue with contemporary public audiences. 

Selected artist for launch of Midsumma Horizon Festival hosted at Testing Grounds, Melbourne (2019)

This residency informed groundwork to create an outdoor performance work titled Tomboy in Training (2019) that would launch my PhD research.

Artist-In-Residence, Testing Grounds, Melbourne (2017)

An open studio and presentation of a community-based projects created during the residency, in which I explored queer (in)visibility.

Artist-In-Residence, as part of a trans-disciplinary residency programme at Listhus Artspace, Iceland (2015)

Project was funded by Creative Australia. It provided the opportunity to embark on a new project exploring indigenous horses in Northern Iceland, and historical kinships with local communities.  This would result in community presentations of the work, consolidated with an exhibition of new works in Melbourne.

 Artist Presentation & Cursorial Workshop, Trollaskaga Community Art Festival, Ólafsfjörður, Iceland (2015)

A curatorial project with local community, this was an opportunity for creative exchange, to share stories, artworks and experiences culminated during the residency, and workshops.

 Awards and Scholarships

·   Recipient of Merri Bek City Council ‘Making Space’ funding program for public artwork commissions, Melbourne (2021)

·   Winner of the ‘People’s Choice Award’, Australia Post Prize, Midsummer Queer Festival, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne (2018)

·   Winner of the ‘MELT Portrait Prize’, Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane (2017)

·   Selected Artist for Site-Specific Commission, Testing Grounds, Melbourne (2017)

·   Short-listed: ‘Head-On International Photography Festival’ Portrait Prize (2017)

·   Short-listed: ‘Head-On International Photography Festival’ Portrait Prize (2016)

·   Recipient of the ‘ArtStart Funding Award for Emerging Artist’, Creative Australia (2015)

·   Recipient of the RMIT University Art Link and Cultural Award for Social Practice, Melbourne (2012)

·   Recipient of the Australian Post Graduate Award - APA Scholarship (2011-2013)

·   Recipient of the RMIT University Travel Endowment Scholarship (2011)

Professional associations

·       Victoria Institute of Teaching

• Member of Teachers and Students Union

• Member of Diversity and Inclusion Program, RMIT University

 Other qualifications and Relevant Training

·       Certificate! V Community Services (Alcohol and Drug Counselling)

·       Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Melbourne, Australia

• Emergency First Aid & CPR, Healthcorp, Melbourne, Australia

• Working With Children Accreditation, Victoria, Australia

 Other Employment 

Volunteer Gallery Assistant and Technician, Stills Centre for Contemporary Photography, Edinburgh

(seasonal between 2016-2023)

 Youth Case Manager, Streetworks, Edinburgh (2017 -2018)

·       Fostered and demonstrated positive regard for supporting young people within the welfare system.

·       Build professional trusting relationships with service users, team members, and others service providers.

·       Maintained accurate records and case notes.

·       Regular attendance in industry training and supervision.

·       Ability to critically reflect on professional practice to maintain health and appropriate boundaries with young people.

Community Project Worker (P/T), Melbourne Streets to Home Program, Launch Housing, Melbourne (2013-2016)

Intiall Planning and Assessment Worker, Homeground Services, Melbourne (P/T) (2011-2013)

After Hours Support Worker, Flagstaff Crisis Accommodation, Melbourne (P/T) (2007-2010)

Youth Support Worker, Youth Substance Abuse Service (YSAS), Melbourne, (2006-2007)