Statement: Written after a conversation in a bar with Made Spencer-Castle. Melbourne 2018
Odd Narrative fiction The Whoring Hair
(North of England in the 70s)
Can I start here in Red a threatening sensual space and use this as a structure to try and explain what it was like growing up.
Cock, Cunt, Tits, the weapons of choice verses being beaten, slapped or dragged by the whoring hair.
I chose the queer space to feel safe and free, no judgement, a space where the unfamiliar, abnormal and curious could be mysterious and deviant, could dance, ruin and take risks in our hand-made or Oxfam smelling togs.
Goin out meant, war paint, nail file ready, bare legs no tights, below zero.
Please don’t get your head kicked in tonight, “fighters who never knew what they were fighting for but fought anyone for it” *. Drinking to excess, necking, geggin for it, time exists differently here, silly slag.
‘‘You’ve got to get fucking out, of here” my art teacher said, she was from London and didn’t wear a bra, mind you, no one wore bras, unless you had big tits.
Different time, different class, same lass.
They told us, girls who lost their virginity at an early age, are statistically more likely to smoke drink and be promiscuous, what is wrong with a pint, a dart and a poke, on my terms, off course.
Make art to be someone else, to get out of reality, to be uncommon, to spoil and damage to be extraordinary.
I couldn’t understand the feminist movement, not because I wasn’t already fighting for my position to exist equally, but I literally didn’t understand the language, thought it wasn’t meant for me, only worked if you were educated, stupid cow, failed the 11plus.
Selling out, gees… spent so much time once Id left, worrying about being authentic, real.
I had changed and didn’t belong anywhere. Still feel that but am a lot more comfortable and smugger. Now I fight to remain conscious, not slip into the straight and narrow, silly twot, just relax and have some fun.
The most remarkable baffling space of not knowing, either from the point of ignorance or discovery. Love learning, it’s a fucking luxury, don’t you forget it.
“Are we there yet? Is this it?” or are we just here.
*The Macc Lads, 1978
Represented by Sarah Scout Presents, Melbourne https://www.sarahscoutpresents.com/
Education
1995 MFA, Goldsmiths, London, UK
1991 PG, University of New South Wales, Collage of Fine Arts, Sydney
1984 BFA, Bristol College of Art, Bristol, UK
Exhibitions
2023 Sudden Bursts Of Nasty Laughter, NGV Melbourne Now, curated/conversation with Pip Wallis and Amita Kirpalani https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/melbourne-now/artists/claire-lambe/
2023 Yes Sir I can Boogie Connor Connors, Melbourne https://www.connersconnersgallery.com
2022 Agent Bodies, RMIT Gallery, Melbourne. https://rmitgallery.com/exhibitions/agent-bodies/ curated Mikala Dwyer and Drew Pettifer https://tcbartinc.org.au/content/dart-object/
2022. NOT_YET COLLECTIVE Das Boot3 Artist Car Boot Fair”, Retail performance, ACCA, 19 March
2022 I Think I’m turning into a Monster (2022), Composite July
I Think I’m turning into a Monster (2022), TAAS EXHIBITION ONLINE , USA August
I Think I’m turning into a Monster (2021), Solidary Cinema (solidaritycinema.com), a Chicago project, Chicago, USA July(2022)
I Think I’m turning into a Monster (2022), Sunview Luncheonette in Greenpoint, New York on Friday November 4th
2022 FUTURES Gallery Melbourne,‘Serotonin!’ 30 June - 30 July 2022. Ma femme au chat ouvert 2017 bronze, sound, speakers sound composer: Daniel Jenatsch, singer: Sarah Byrne 90.0 x 75.0 x 75.0 cm Courtesy the artist and Sarah Scout Presents, Melbourne
2022 NOT_YET COLLECTIVE: Milk Gallery, Collingwood, Melbourne November 2022
2022 KISSER, Video Installation, Sarah Scout Presents. September 2022 https://www.sarahscoutpresents.com/exhibitions/85-kisser-the-friend-claire-lambe-and-daniel/
2021 Dart Object, TCB Gallery, Melbourne
2020 The Body Electric, NGA, Canberra curated by Shaune Lakin and Anne O’hehir https://knowmyname.nga.gov.au/events/body-electric/
2019 Portico, Conners Conners Melbourne
2019 Figure and Ground, Hugo Michell Gallery Adelaide https://www.hugomichellgallery.com/
2019 Exhibition: Sarah Scout 10-year anniversary show.
2019 Weeping Gasoline Dream, Majia gallery Melbourne https://www.spencerlai.info/exhibitions-weeping-gasoline-dream
2019 Queer Economies, Bus Projects, Melbourne https://busprojects.org.au/program/queer-economies
2018 Auckland Art Fair, Sarah Scout Presents.
2018 From Will to Form, Tarrawarra Biennale, curated by Emily Cormack, Victoria
https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/206827/tarrawarra-biennial-2018from-will-to-form/
2018 Accession, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Melbourne. https://www.bundoorahomestead.com/exhibition/accession/
2018 They Say I Look Like My Mother Curated by Chelsea Hopper, Sydenham 55, Sydney. http://www.55sydenhamrd.com/they-say-i-look-like-my-mother#1
2017 Mother holding something horrific, Australian Centre of Contemporary Art, Melbourne https://acca.melbourne/exhibition/claire-lambe/
2017 I love Pat Larter, Neon Parc, Melbourne. https://neonparc.com.au/exhibitions/i-love-pat-larter
2017 Woollahra sculpture prize, Sydney.
2017 Darebin Art Prize, Bundoora homestead, Melbourne.
2016 The Joke, Neon Park, Melbourne https://neonparc.com.au/exhibitions/jokes
2016 The Public Body, Artspace, Sydney https://www.artspace.org.au/program/exhibitions/2016/the-public-body-01/
2016 Erewhon, Margaret Lawrence Gallery at the VCA/University of Melbourne, touring to;
Horsham Regional art Gallery; Warrnambool Art Gallery; Benalla Art Gallery; http://www.thewag.com.au/exhibition/erewhon
Latrobe Regional Art Gallery; https://asialink.unimelb.edu.au/arts/past-exhibitions/countries/turkey/neverwhere
2015 Miss Universal, Atlanta Eke, Claire Lambe, Next wave, Chunky Move, Melbourne http://chunkymove.com/our-works/current-repertoire/miss-universal/
2015 Head of the River, Sydenham55, Sydney http://www.55sydenhamrd.com/claire-lambe#1
2015 Miss Universal, Gertrude contemporary, Melbourne https://www.gertrude.org.au/docs/claire-lambe-and-atlanta-eke-exhibition-catalogue.pdf
2015 Gertrude Studios, Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne https://www.gertrude.org.au/studios/studios/past-23/?y=2014
2015 Lurid Beauty, NGV International, Melbourne https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/LuridBeauty_Labels.pdf
2015 Spring 1883 Art Fair, Establishment Hotel, Sydney https://spring1883.com/
2015 Neverwhere, Asialink/ Margaret Lawrence Gallery project, Gaia Gallery, Istanbul
2015 Boulevarde, Gertrude Contemporary. http://www.matthewlinde.com/boulevard.html
2015 Strangefellows, Lisa Young, Claire Lambe, Wyndham Arts Centre, Werribee, Vic
2014 Northern Riot, Lou Hubbart, Claire Lambe, Sarah Scout Presents, Melbourne
2014 In some places it’s illegal to hang your washing out to dry, Rosemary Forde, Sarah Scout Presents
http://www.sarahscoutpresents.com/web/in-some-places-its-illegal-to-hang-your-washing-out-to-dry/
2014 Industrial Estate, Heidelberg West, Melbourne http://kymmaxwell.com/industrial-estate/2014/1/5/installclaire-lambe
2014 Gertrude Contemporary Studio Show, Melbourne
2014 Don’t hide the hate, Slopes, Melbourne https://canberracontemporaryartspace.wordpress.com/2014/05/01/dont-hide-the-hate/
2014 Sincerity, Moana Project Space, Perth
2013 Yakety Sax, Claire Lambe, Lou Hubbard, Sarah Scout Gallery, Melbourne
2013 MELBOURNE NOW, NGV international, Melbourne https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/melbournenow/
2013 Strangefellows, Claire Lambe, Lisa Young, Westspace, Melbourne
2013 Like Mike, Sarah Scout, Melbourne
2013 A Million Bucks, Utopian Slumps Gallery
2012 Lazyboy, Sarah Scout Gallery, Melbourne
2012 Figure and Ground, Utopian Slumps Gallery, Melbourne.
2011 Beadlestaff, Switchback Gallery Monash Gippsland
2011 Erotographomania, curator Sarah Jones at CAST Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2010 The Memorial, Elvis Richardson, Claire Lambe, Death Be Kind, Melbourne https://www.elvisrichardson.com/DEATHBEKIND/memorial_more.html
2010 CHANGE, Monash University, curator Max Delany and Geraldine Barlow https://www.monash.edu/muma/exhibitions/previous/2010/change
2009 Ultra Primo, Ocular Lab, Melbourne
2010 Monumental Effect, Death Be Kind, Melbourne
2009 Get oak firmness, curated by Elvis Richardson, Ocular Lab and Hell Gallery, Melbourne
Residencies, Grants and Awards
2023 Athens residency…….
2022 Australia Counsel grant/as part of a film collective
2022 NGV, Commission, Sudden burst of Nasty laughter, Melbourne Now
2018 Australia Counsel, ACME International Residency, London
2017 Darebin Art Prize Winner, Melbourne.
2015/2016 Edwards Trust award, ISCP, New York
2014/2016 Gertrude Contemporary Studio artist
2014 NGV International Collection, Acquisition
2011 Arts Victoria, Arts Development Grant, Death Be Kind
2011 Monash residency, Monash Gippsland
2009 Monash University Collection, Acquisition
2002 Australian Counsel, Arts Project Grant, New Work, Sydney