r e a (artist) facts for kids

r e a (born in 1962) is an Aboriginal Australian artist. She is also known as r e a Saunders or Rea Saunders. As of 2019, r e a teaches at the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Unit at the University of Queensland.

Her art journey started with photography, digital media, sound, and installation art. Today, r e a creates experimental digital art. Her work is based on research and combines different art forms.

Early Life

r e a was born in Coonabarabran, New South Wales, in 1962. She belongs to the Gamilaraay and Wailwan people from the Central West region of NSW. She is also from the Biripi people, who are from the Mid North Coast. r e a's family moved to Sydney in 1968.

Education Journey

r e a first studied Electrical Trades at Petersham, New South Wales in 1989. This was a TAFE course. A year later, in 1990, she started studying Creative Arts at the Eora Centre in Darlington, New South Wales.

She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Arts) from the University of New South Wales in 1993. Later, she completed a Masters of Visual Arts at the Australian National University. She also got a Masters of Science in Digital Imaging and Design from New York University. In 2019, she finished her PhD in Visual Anthropology at UNSW Art & Design, part of the University of New South Wales.

Art Career

Exhibitions and Shows

r e a began showing her art in 1990 at the Eora Centre. In 1992, she exhibited again while studying at the University of New South Wales. Her first digital artwork, Look Who's Calling The Kettle Black, was made in 1992. More new works followed in 1993 at the Performance Space and Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative in Sydney.

In 1994, her art was part of several important shows. These included Localities of Desire, Don’t Leave Me This Way, Blackness: Blak City Culture!, and True Colours.

In 1995, r e a had her first solo exhibition. It was called Ripped Into Pieces: Blak Body and was held at Performance Space.

In 1997, she had another solo show at the Boomalli Aboriginal Artists' Co-op. This show was part of the 1997 Festival of the Dreaming. Her installation art in this show, called EYE/I'MMABLAKPIECE, used mirrors to make people think about how art is viewed.

In 1998, r e a showed her work in bLAK bABE(z) & kWEER kAT(z) with artist Brook Andrew.

Famous Artworks

One of her well-known collections is Look Who's Calling The Kettle Black. This collection features photographic prints in three different colors.