jen valender is an Australasian artist from Aotearoa based in Narrm Melbourne working across moving image, sculpture, sound, installation and performance art. Her practice undulates between the absurd and the uncanny to surface undercurrents of environmental, cultural and social problems. Jen’s current research investigates hybrids between sculpture, moving image and sound techniques for immersive installations that compress complex experiences and ethical dilemmas into simple gestures. She is the co-founder of AMP art collective and editor of the Volumes of Mutual Aid art journal.
I acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which I live and work; the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations.
Education
2020/2021 Master of Fine Arts (Research)
VCA, University of Melbourne
2019 Bachelor of Fine Arts (honours)
VCA, University of Melbourne
2018 Bachelor of Fine Arts
Monash University, Melbourne
Exhibitions
2021 (forthcoming, July) The ocean wants you back
PAST, PRESENTs, FUTUREs
Gertrude Street Projection Festival
2021 (forthcoming, March) Played as they lay
Spier Light Art
Stellenbosch, South Africa
2020 Volumes of Mutual Aid
Digital Platform & Journal
presented by AMP Art Collective
2020 Clean unclean
Fringe Digital
Melbourne Fringe Festival
2020 Blackout clean
Zero O’Clock Digital, curated by Sophia Cai
hosted by the Centre of Visual Art (CoVA) Melbourne
2020 The Objet a and why you should want the heart of Himalayan monkeys et al
Digital Platform
George Paton Gallery Virtual
2020 Light Windows
Produced by HoloCenter, New York
presented by Centre for Projection Art
Zaneth Manor & Collingwood Yards, Melbourne
2020 Tank
Next Wave New Student Precinct Project
University of Melbourne
2019 This is nice
FiX Performance
KINGS (ARI), Melbourne
2019 Familial Feet
Produced by Choat Collab.
Fringe 33, Fringe Festival
Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne
2019 Shyness is nice
Performing Textiles exhibition
Ian Potter Museum, Melbourne
2019 Balancing Act
Dirty Dozen Creative Spaces
Campbell Arcade, City of Melbourne
2019 Built-Bridges-Burnt
Satellite Anthem curated by Kate Just
Assembly Point Vitrines, City of Melbourne
2019 Fabrication
Collaboration with Denise Honan & Karima Baadilla
222 Rosslyn Gallery, Melbourne
2018 Bear Ear
Small works exhibition
fortyfivedownstairs gallery, Melbourne
2018 Before the Light Leaves Us
Collaboration with Denise Honan, From Nature 2018
Gasworks Arts Park, Melbourne
2018 Bunny & Bongo
Held in the hand exhibition
Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne
2018 Fem*
Build/ReBuild exhibition
Collaboration with Denise Honan
The Artists Guild Docklands, Melbourne
2018 Fluoro Nightmare and the Restrained One
Collaboration with Denise Honan
Intermission Gallery, Monash University
Awards, Grants & Residencies
Centre for Projection Art 2020 Residency
Collingwood Yards, Melbourne
Next Wave New Student Precinct
Project Art Prize 2019
‘Tank’ 2020 billboard
University of Melbourne
Miegunyah Student Project Award 2019
‘Hold your tongue, Sir: Govenor Bligh hauled out from under a bed’
Ian Potter Museum of Art
Ralph McLean Microgrant 2019
‘Familial Feet’
Fringe Festival, Abbotsford Convent
UMSU Creative Arts Grant 2019
‘Shyness is nice’
Performing Textiles, Ian Potter
Bearbrass Prize 2018
‘Stage of the brief and found’
MADA Now exhibition
Studio XL>XS 2018
Summer residency, The District Docklands
Committee Appointments
2019-2021 Port Phillip Council Art Acquisition Reference Committee
Contact: ︎
I acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which I live and work; the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations.
Education
2020/2021 Master of Fine Arts (Research)
VCA, University of Melbourne
2019 Bachelor of Fine Arts (honours)
VCA, University of Melbourne
2018 Bachelor of Fine Arts
Monash University, Melbourne
Exhibitions
2021 (forthcoming, July) The ocean wants you back
PAST, PRESENTs, FUTUREs
Gertrude Street Projection Festival
2021 (forthcoming, March) Played as they lay
Spier Light Art
Stellenbosch, South Africa
2020 Volumes of Mutual Aid
Digital Platform & Journal
presented by AMP Art Collective
2020 Clean unclean
Fringe Digital
Melbourne Fringe Festival
2020 Blackout clean
Zero O’Clock Digital, curated by Sophia Cai
hosted by the Centre of Visual Art (CoVA) Melbourne
2020 The Objet a and why you should want the heart of Himalayan monkeys et al
Digital Platform
George Paton Gallery Virtual
2020 Light Windows
Produced by HoloCenter, New York
presented by Centre for Projection Art
Zaneth Manor & Collingwood Yards, Melbourne
2020 Tank
Next Wave New Student Precinct Project
University of Melbourne
2019 This is nice
FiX Performance
KINGS (ARI), Melbourne
2019 Familial Feet
Produced by Choat Collab.
Fringe 33, Fringe Festival
Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne
2019 Shyness is nice
Performing Textiles exhibition
Ian Potter Museum, Melbourne
2019 Balancing Act
Dirty Dozen Creative Spaces
Campbell Arcade, City of Melbourne
2019 Built-Bridges-Burnt
Satellite Anthem curated by Kate Just
Assembly Point Vitrines, City of Melbourne
2019 Fabrication
Collaboration with Denise Honan & Karima Baadilla
222 Rosslyn Gallery, Melbourne
2018 Bear Ear
Small works exhibition
fortyfivedownstairs gallery, Melbourne
2018 Before the Light Leaves Us
Collaboration with Denise Honan, From Nature 2018
Gasworks Arts Park, Melbourne
2018 Bunny & Bongo
Held in the hand exhibition
Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne
2018 Fem*
Build/ReBuild exhibition
Collaboration with Denise Honan
The Artists Guild Docklands, Melbourne
2018 Fluoro Nightmare and the Restrained One
Collaboration with Denise Honan
Intermission Gallery, Monash University
Awards, Grants & Residencies
Centre for Projection Art 2020 Residency
Collingwood Yards, Melbourne
Next Wave New Student Precinct
Project Art Prize 2019
‘Tank’ 2020 billboard
University of Melbourne
Miegunyah Student Project Award 2019
‘Hold your tongue, Sir: Govenor Bligh hauled out from under a bed’
Ian Potter Museum of Art
Ralph McLean Microgrant 2019
‘Familial Feet’
Fringe Festival, Abbotsford Convent
UMSU Creative Arts Grant 2019
‘Shyness is nice’
Performing Textiles, Ian Potter
Bearbrass Prize 2018
‘Stage of the brief and found’
MADA Now exhibition
Studio XL>XS 2018
Summer residency, The District Docklands
Committee Appointments
2019-2021 Port Phillip Council Art Acquisition Reference Committee
Contact: ︎
