Summary
Liliane Lijn’s work covers a large spectrum of interests, from Light and its interaction with diverse new materials to the development of a fresh image for the feminine. Lijn has taken inspiration from incidental details both man-made and natural, mythology and poetry, science and technology. Lijn is interested in the development of language, collaborating across disciplines and making art that is interactive, in which the viewer can actively participate.
1939
Born in New York City
1958
Studied Archeology at the Sorbonne and Art History at the Ecole du Louvre in Paris
1961–63
Lived in New York; Artist in residence at a plastics factory, experimenting with fire and acids. Worked with light, poetry, movement and liquids; numerous international exhibitions established her as a leading kinetic artist
1963-64
Worked in Paris; exhibited first kinetic light works and Poem Machines.
1964-66
Lived in Athens, making use of natural forces in her sculpture.
1966
Moved to London
1974
Staged the performance The Power Game, a text-based gambling game and socio-political farce for the Festival for Chilean Liberation at the RCA
1983-90
Member of the Council of Management of the Byam Shaw
1997
Production Award from LFVPA to make a video based on Her Mother’s Voice (1996) artist’s book
1999
Opera Lab Fellowship, Performing Arts Labs. Lijn wrote a brief libretto The Descent of Inanna, with score by Morgan Hayes.
2005
Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters from University of Warwick
ACE International Artist Fellowship, Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, in partnership with NASA and the Leonardo Network.
2005-09
Developed Solar Hills, in collaboration with astronomer John Vallerga, a large scale solar installation in the landscape.
Worked with NASA chemist to develop installations using aerogel.
2009
NaREC Artist in Residence, in partnership with NaREC, AV Festival and Inspire Northumberland.
2010
Artist in Residence, Culture Lab, University of Newcastle.
2011
Digital Futures: Keynote speech for Net-audio Festival, the Roundhouse, London.
2012
Solar Beacon, Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco.
2013
The Dance, shortlisted for the Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Square, London
2015
Glittering in the Sun / Crossing Map. A bilingual extended radio drama produced from Crossing Map (1983), performed on Deutschlandradio Kultur, and in conversation with Gaby Hartel, 8th November 2015.
2016
Spinning Dolls, permanent installation, Il Museo della Canapa, Sant’Anatolia di Narco, Italy
2018
Spotlight, Tate Britain, London
A-i-R at at Universe 02, APC Laboratory, Paris
2019
Converse Column, Public Art Commission, University of Leeds
2020
2021
Minds Rising, Spirits Turning, 13th Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju