Chantal Lesley
Resident #5, Aug 29 – Oct 9
End of Residency Event, October 5, 6:30-9pm
Chantal Lesley (she/her) is a conceptual photographer living and working in Austin, TX. Lesley is a multicultural, first-generation American born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, located along the U.S./Mexico border. Being the daughter of immigrants from both Germany and Peru has brought upon a feeling of being stretched between four cultures and has led her to confront ideas that focus on identity and contemporary social and political issues in her work.
Lesley acquired her BFA in Fine Art Photography from Texas State University in 2021, and since then her work has been exhibited throughout Texas and the U.S. Selected shows include Houston Center for Photography (Houston, TX); Craighead Green Gallery (Dallas, TX); Touchstone Gallery, (Washington D.C); and Humble Arts Foundation, (New York City, NY).
She's been recognized for her talent, receiving an Honorable Mention for the Lenscratch Student Prize in 2021. In 2022, she had the opportunity to be an Artist in Residence at LATITUDE in Chicago, IL, and held her first solo exhibition, "En Medio de la Nostalgia," at the Dougherty Arts Center in Austin, TX.
In 2023, Lesley presented her second solo exhibition: "One Day We Will All Be Golden" at LHUCA in Lubbock, TX. During the same year, she was an artist in residence with Future Front Texas, further honing her craft.
Looking ahead, 2024 holds exciting prospects as Chantal is set to be an artist in residence at the Vermont Studio Center (Johnson, VT) and Chateau d’Orquevaux (Orquevaux, France). These opportunities mark the next steps in her creative journey, promising to expand her artistic voice across the world.
“A studio at The Line is important to my practice as it not only allows me valuable time and space to create new work, but it puts me in the heart of downtown Austin, allowing me to connect with and be inspired by the city as well as visitors of The Line. I’m deeply appreciative to be given this opportunity as I look up to many past residents. I know that having my work be seen and shared to a wide audience will benefit my artistic career.”
Artist Statement:
My work is driven by a demand to be seen and understood while uncovering the layers of my identity as part of four different cultures: Peruvian, German, American, and Mexican. Being a part of multiple cultures has forced me to navigate the process of assimilating into each culture simultaneously, leading often to feelings of alienation. In response, I create tangible objects that explore my past experiences, allowing me to connect with and challenge viewers. I create a visual narrative that reflects the loss of ethnic roots and explores the isolation and confusion felt from multiple cultures, a metaphor for the in-between– discovering a mental space that I have constructed while delving into my personal and familial past. Self-Portraiture allows a form of empowerment and relying on symbolism connects me with my audience in a universal way to challenge the viewer to consider their preconceptions of women of color. My work is a way to turn the colonial gaze upon itself, and regain my power and agency.