Billy Lee

Sculptor

Profile & CV

At a solo exhibition, MB Modern in New York…

“The syntax the sculpture employs may still be essentially Minimalist, but Lee has infused it with a subtle, anthropomorphic presence”

–Trevor Richardson, Sculpture, September 1998, Vol.17., No7

Billy Lee was born of Chinese and Dutch parentage in Uitenhage, South Africa. As a child, his parents emigrated to England, where he later received his BFA, 1st class honours, from Birmingham College of Art and Design, and his MFA at the Royal College of Art, London (RCA). Upon graduation from the RCA, he received the prestigious award of Kennedy Scholar, to attend the Centre for Advanced Visual Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was later named a Fellow. He remains the only artist ever to receive the award of Kennedy Scholar.

Thanks to the considerable and growing international reputation, Lee is consistently invited to exhibit and place works throughout the world. In 1991, he received the Giacomo Manzu Special Prize at the ‘7th Henry Moore International Sculpture Exhibition in Japan. At the Fujisankei Biennale in 1993, he was awarded the Rodin Prize for his work exhibited in the Hakone/Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum, Japan.

Lee was invited to participate in ‘Thinking Big: 21st Century British Sculpture’ at the Guggenheim in Venice. He was one of five international sculptors to attend the ’11th International Steel Sculptors Symposium’ in Hungary. His large-scale outdoor work is now part of the Dunaferr Art Foundation’s permanent collection in the city of Dunaujvaros. His sculptures are represented in public collections across the globe, including Goodwood Sculpture-Cass Foundation, West Sussex, UK; Yuzi Paradise Sculpture Park, Guilin, China; The Hakone/Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum, Japan; Shanghai Sculpture Park, China; The Memorial Rose Garden, Chin Pao San, Taipei, Taiwan; Dunaujvaros Sculpture Park, Hungary; Cementerio Carretas, Putaendo Sculpture Park, Chile, Abu Dhabi, UAE and many others in the United States.

In the past ten years Lee has been working in China creating large outdoor sculptures. Recently, he has just completed a twenty-foot diameter stainless steel sculpture for the city of Abu Dhabi, UAE. In addition, he continues to exhibit in the USA, UK, Europe and the East. Lee currently resides in the United States and is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Billy's CV

BORN

Uitenhage, S. Africa. Immigrated to England. Resides in U.S.A.

UNIVERSITIES

1972-1973 Fellow M.I.T. Center for Advanced Visual Studies, Boston 1969-1972 MA.RCA, Royal College of Art, London
1965-1969 BA. 1st Hons. Birmingham College of Art and Design, England

INVITATIONAL LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS

The Art Institute of Boston

Ryerson Polytechnic, Toronto, Canada

Birmingham College of Art and Design, England

Royal College of Art, London

Cardiff School of Art, Wales

Southern California Institution of Architecture, CA

Cheltenham College of Art, England

Swain School of Art, Massachusetts

Corpus Christi State University, Texas

University of Utah, Grad. School of Architecture, UT

Fanshawe College of Art, Ontario, Canada

High Point University, North Carolina

Haverford College, Pennsylvania

Massachusetts College of Art, Boston

East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina

Bretton Hall, Leeds University, England

University of Cape Town, South Africa

Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, S. Africa

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, S. Africa

Central Academy of Fine Art, Beijing

China Academy of Fine Art, Hangzhou

Tianjin Academy of Fine Art, Tianjin

Sichuan Fine Art Institute, Sichuan

Suzhou Art and Design Technology Institute, Suzhou

Guangxi Arts Institute, College of Fine Art, Nanning

Donghua University, Shanghai

Shanghai University, College of Fine Art

Xian School of Architecture, Xian

Guangzhou Fine Art Academy

Suwon University, Seoul, Korea

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

Distinguished Professor and Master Tutor, Xian School of Architecture and Technology

2019 Professor Emeritus University of North Carolina-Greensboro

1984-Present Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
1973-1980 University of Michigan

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors, London

Board member of New Space Public Art Research Institute, Shenzhen

Foreign Academic Advisor, Public Art Commission – Tianjin Institute of Planning

Academic Advisor, Silk Road, Xian School of Architecture and Technology

Consultant –  National Sculpture Magazine of China
Consultant –  Huayi Sculpture Company, Linqu, Shandong

Consultant  – Suzhou Sculpture Association, Suzhou

Consultant – Tianjin Chengjian University Association of Urban Arts

Member of the International Sculpture Center, Washington DC
Advisor to The Dunaujvaros Fine Art Foundation, Hungary
Shanghai Sculpture Park, China

Juror/Panelist: NC percent for Arts, State Building Program, Umstead Hospital Project
NC percent for Arts, Old Revenue Building Project, Raleigh, NC
NC Visual Artist Fellowship

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2011 Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC
2002 “Ochreous Earth”, Royal Society of British Sculptors, RBS Gallery, London.
1998 MB Modern, New York, NY
1996 “Dos Esculturas” Galeria Zero, Barcelona, Spain
1996 Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC
1992 Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery, Osaka, Japan
1991 Southeast Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, NC
1989 St. John’s Museum of Art, Wilmington, NC
1988 Meridian Museum of Art, Mississippi
1986 Weatherspoon Gallery, Greensboro, NC
1977 Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, Michigan
1976 Gilman Gallery, Chicago
1969 Ikon Gallery, England

SELECTED AND INVITATIONAL GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2019      Wenzhou International Sculpture Exhibition, Wenzhou, Zhejiang. Received Bronze Prize

2019      International Public Art Exhibition. Chongqing, Liangjiang New Area International Art Axis

2018      The 2nd Shenzhen Spoonbill Cup for Public Art, Shenzhen

2018      International Urban Sculpture, Weifang High-Tech Zone

2018      5th Silk Road International Exhibition, Xian

2017      Kajima- Sculpture Architecture and Space International Exhibition, Tokyo.

 2016 Space 50 International Sculpture Exhibition, M50 Art Complex, Shanghai

2016 Yungang International Competition- Buddha Sculpture, China Sculpture Museum, Datong, Shanxi

2016 Chinese Contemporary Abstract Sculpture Exhibition, Beijing

2016 “Silk Road” Exhibition, Ganzu Dunhuang International Exhibition Centre, Ganzu Province

2016 “Cao Cao Cup, Bozhou International Sculpture Exhibition 2016” Homage to Hua Tao, 1 of 28 sculptures selected from 498 (18 countries) Bozhou Anhui Province

2016 “Today’s Silk Road” 3rd International Exhibition, Xian Art Museum,Artist from over 40 countries were selected.

2016 Chinese Contemporary Abstract Sculpture Exhibition, Beijing

2015 Lan Wan Art Park, International Exhibition Qingdao

2015 “The Story of Wuhu City”The 5th Liu Kaiqu International Sculpture Exhibition, Wuhu, Anhui Province, Awarded the Excellence Prize

2015 “Todays Silk Road”, International Exhibition of Fine Art, Xian Art Musuem, Xian

2015 Mind Reflections, Xin Xiang Art Space, Shanghai

2014 Contemporary Shandong Sculptors, Qingdao Fine art Museum

2014 “Blue Platform” Contemporary Sculptors, Qingdao Fine Art Museum.
2014 Contemporary Shandong Sculptors, Qingdao Fine Art Museum
2014 Qingdao Hi-Tec Park, Shandong
2013 Abstract Sculpture in China-Destruction & Reconstruction Hubei Art Museum, Wuhan City. China.
2013 1st China Abstract Sculpture Exhibition. Art Complex in the City of Xian.
2013 Zhu Biren Bronze Art Centre Gallery- 798 Art Complex in Beijing.
2012 2nd Abstract Sculpture Class Exhibition. Guo-Cui-Yuan-Art Centre, Beijing.
2012 Marunouchi Street Gallery, Tokyo (two year outdoor exhibition)
2011 “Blue Symphony” NanDaihe International Sculpture Exhibition, NanDaiHe, Hebei Province,China
2011 “Art In Space” Salwa Zeidan gallery, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2010 Beijing International Art Biennale, Beijing
2010 Cairo Biennale, Egypt
2010 Abu Dhabi International Sculpture Symposium, UAE. 17 International artist, each to fabricate a permanent large public outdoor sculpture for the city.
2009 Pekin Fine Art Gallery, Beijing
2009 Lee Hansley Gallery “Then and Now” Raleigh, NC
2008 Olympic Fine Art International Exhibition, China International Exhibition Center, Beijing.
2007 “Little Rabbit” Zhongkun Corporation, 10 international artists, Beijing
2007 International Sculpture Exhibition, Gifu Prefectural Museum, Seki-City, Japan.
2007 Amelia Johnson Contemporary, Hong Kong
2006 XXIX Olympiad Exhibition, Beijing China. Merit Award
2006 Yueyuanyuan, Shanghai Sculpture Park. China
2006 Newby Hall Sculpture Park, North Yorkshire, England
2005 Toyamura Biennale, Hokkaido, Japan
2005 Sculpture at Goodwood, West Sussex, UK
2005 Chin Pao San, Memorial Rose Garden, Taipei, Taiwan
2004 International Sculpture Symposium, Yuzi-Paradise, Guilin, China
2004 Sculpture at Goodwood, London Gallery
2003 International Exhibition, International Sculpture Center/Grounds for Sculpture.NJ
2003 The 1st Yuzi Paradise International Sculpture Awards Exhibition, Guilin, China.
2003 Cementerio Carretas, Putaendo, Chile
2003 Raleigh Outdoor Sculpture Expo, NC, USA
2002 “THINKING BIG” 21st Century British Sculpture, Guggenheim Museum, Venice
2001 Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC
2000 ‘Concepts for New Sculpture’ Goodwood Sculpture.UK
2000 8th International Sculpture Symposium, Guilin,China. One of 15 International sculptors.
2000 Trish Higgins Fine Art Gallery, Wichita, Kansas
1999 Toyamura International Sculpture Biennale, Japan
1999 Pier Walk ‘99, Chicago International Sculpture Exhibition, Navy Pier
1999 Pier Walk ‘99, Maquette Exhibition, Vedanta Gallery, Chicago
1999 ‘Small Is Big II,’ Galleria D’Arte Zero, Barcelona, Spain
1998 Pier Walk ‘98, Navy Pier, Chicago
1997 Pier Walk ‘98, Maquette Exhibition, Wood Street Gallery, Chicago
1997 “Espacio Curado,” Ayuntamiento de Madrid
1996 Maquettes and Small Works, Uitz Gallery, Dunaujvaros, Hungary
1996 The 11th International Steel Symposium, Dunaujvaros Sculpture Park, Hungary.
Fabricated sculpture for the permanent collection, celebrating Hungary’s millennium centenary.
1996 Shared Passions, MB Modern, New York, NY
1996 Sacred Matters: Works on Paper, MB Modern, New York, NY
1996 SignosY Sugerencias, Gallery Zero, Barcelona, Spain
1996 MB Modern Preview (3 person), Babcock Gallery, New York, NY
1996 MB Modern Gallery Artist, Babcock Gallery, New York, NY
1995 Toyamura International Sculpture Biennale ‘95, “Microcosm in Your Hands,” Hokkaido, Japan
1995 Art is Personal, International traveling exhibition, Centro Civico “La Bolsa,”
Bilbao, Gexto, Zarautz, Spain
1994 The 2nd Fujisankei Biennale-Maquette Exhibition, The Hakone Open-Air Museum, Japan
1994 The Garden Matrix, Abington Art Center Sculpture Garden, PA.
1994 Sculpture South ‘94, SC State Museum, Columbia, SC
1993 Southeastern Juried Exhibition ‘93, Fine Arts Museum of the South, Mobile,
1993 Weatherspoon Gallery, Greensboro, NC
1993 The Fujisankei Biennale, International Exhibition for Contemporary Sculpture,
Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum, Japan. Received Rodin Prize.
1993 Alabama Biennale 1993, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Purchase prize.
1992 Shaping Sculpture, Weatherspoon Gallery, Greensboro, NC
1992 38th Annual National Exhibition, San Diego Art Institute, CA
1992 Galerija Daut Pashin Aman, Skopji Macedonia, Yugoslavia
1991 The 7th Henry Moore Grand Prize International Exhibition, The Hakone/Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum, Japan. Received The Giacome Manzu Special Prize.
1991 Miriam Perlman Gallery, Chicago
1990 Evelyn Bengston Gallery, Greensboro, NC
1989 New American Talent ‘89, Austin, Texas
1988 Artist/Architects, Prairie Avenue Gallery, Chicago
1988 Ancient Evocations, Greenhill Gallery, Greensboro, NC
1987 David Heath Gallery, Atlanta, GA
1986 Stillness, Greenhill Gallery, Greensboro, NC
1986 Visual Arts, The Southeast, Atlanta, GA
1985-90 Weatherspoon Gallery, Greensboro, NC
1978-79 Alice Simmer, Ann Arbor, Michigan
1978 Louis Meisel, New York, NY
1978 Lever House, New York, NY
1975-76 Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, Michigan
1975 All Michigan 2, Michigan
1970 Open-Air Sculpture, Cannon Hill Park, England
1969 Young Contemporaries, Arts Council Tour, Whitworth Gallery. England
1968 Northern Young Contemporaries, Whitworth Gallery, England

 AWARDS/PRIZES

2019 Bronze Prize, 2nd Wenzhou International Sculpture Exhibition

2015 Excellence Prize, The 5th Lui Kaiqu Award International Sculpture Exhibition, Wuhu, Anhui Province

2014 Received Merit Award and Certificate for “Dream” for Qingdao International Horticultural Exposition

2010 A certificate and crystal award from his Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE for participation in the Abu Dhabi International Sculpture Symposium
2008 Olympics Fine Arts Gold Medallion, 2008 Olympics, Beijing
2008 Visual Artist Fellowship Grant, North Carolina Arts Council
2008 UNCG Kohler Travel
2005 University of North Carolina-Greensboro Faculty Grant
2004 UNCG International Travel Fund Award
2003 OUTSTANDING PRIZE- Yuzi Paradise International Sculpture Awards, China
2003 Kohler Fund, International Programs Travel Grant
2002 Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award – Southeastern College Art Conference
2001 North Carolina Arts Council Regional Grant
1999 UNCG Research Excellence Award
1993 The Rodin Prize, The Fujisankei Biennale, International Exhibition, Japan
1991 The Giacomo Manzu Special Prize, The 7th Henry Moore International Exhibition, Japan
1991 “Untitled” was one of the fourteen sculptures featured in the video “The World of Sculpture,” made by the Hakone Open-Air Museum and Fuji Television, sponsored by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, NHK, Japan Satellite. Aired December 18, 1991 in Japan.
1991 “Prize Winners of the 7th Henry Moore International Exhibition,” Interview with artist, aired on national television in Japan, June, 1991.
1988 University of North Carolina Research Council Exhibition Grant
1987 University of North Carolina Research Grant
1985 Horace H. Rackham Research Grant
1974 All Michigan 2, purchase prize award
1974 National Sculpture Award, sponsored by Pilkington Glass, England
1972 Fellow, M.I.T.
1972 Kennedy Scholar

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS

Chongqing Liangjiang New District.Chongqing, Sichuan

Red Cube Plaza, Langgang, Shenzhen City

Pinguai, Guangxi (Pinguai Culture and Sports Centre)

Bozhou Sculpture Park, Anhui Province

Wuhai, Wuhottot Inner Mongolia

Wuhu Sculpture Park, 5th Lui Kaiqu Award, Anhui Province

Changsha City, Hunan, China, 12mX12m light sculpture

Lan Wan Art Park, Hi-Tech Industrial Complex Park, Qingdao, Shandong.
Qingdao International Horticultural Exposition 2014, Qingdao, China
City of Abu Dhabi, UAE.
First Public Sculpture in the city of Greensboro, City Court House, NC, USA
Intercontinental Hotel, Suzhou, China
Zhongkun Corporation, Beijing, China
Yueyuanyuan, Shanghai Sculpture Park, Shanghai
Goodwood Sculpture, UK
Chin Pao San, Memorial Rose Garden, Taipei
Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi
Parque Esculturico, Putaendo, Chile
Yuzi Paradise Sculpture Park, Guilin, China
The Fujisankei Biennale 1993, The Hakone/Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum, Japan
Dunaujvaros Sculpture Park, 11th International Steel Symposium, Hungary
The 7th Henry Moore, Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum, Japan
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Weatherspoon Museum, Greensboro, North Carolina
Flint Museum of Art, Michigan
National Bank of Detroit
Horace H. Rackham, Michigan
Halstead Industries, North Carolina
Alcoa Aluminum, Detroit

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2011 China National Sculpture Magazine October 2011. Whole issue devoted to my Teaching in Beijing
2011 China National Sculpture Magazine, May,no2, page 86 to 89
2011 USAirways Magazine 7.2011, page 86
2008 ‘UNCG Professor’s Sculpture to be shown at Olympics’ Greensboro News and Record,17/07/08http://www.news-record.com
2008 ‘UNCG Art Professor to Exhibit Sculpture at Olympics,’Fox8News,17/07/08,<http://www.myfoxwghp.com>
WFMY News 2. Interview on 5pm news. 17th July 2008, Olympic Sculpture
Ming Pao Weekly, issue 1927, page 56/57. Hong Kong
Chinese Contemporary Art News, 2005/08. Vol.7. page 63
World Sculpture News, Spring 2003. vol. 9 number 2, p. 42
Sculpture, September 1998. vol. 17, no. 7, p. 70. NY Review
Sculpture, March 1997. vol. 16, no. 3, p. 14.
Dunaujvaros Hirlap, “The 11th International Steel Symposium.” Hungary, October 25, 1996. p. 4-5; October 9,1996, p.5.
Hungarian Nations, “Steel Symposium,” Hungary, October 21,1996.
The Sankei Shin Bun Newspaper, “Fujisankei Biennale.” Tokyo, July 18,1993. p.12.
The Sankei Shin Bun Newspaper, “The 7th Henry Moore International Exhibition.” Tokyo, August 26, 1991, p.6.
Untitled sculpture was one of the fourteen sculptures featured in the video “The
World of Sculpture,” made by the Hakone Open-Air Museum and Fujisankei Television, sponsored by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, NHK, Japan Satellite. Aired December 18, 1991 in Japan.
“Prize Winners of the 7th Henry Moore International Exhibition,” Interview with the artist aired on national television in Japan, June, 1991.

CATALOGUES

2013 Profile and works included in a book Abstract Sculpture in China-Deconstruction and Reconstruction, Published by Hubei Fine Art Museum.
2012 “Untitled” 1991 has also been included in a book “Against the Sky”published by the Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum, Japan. Edited by Akaaka Art Publishing Inc.
2011 “Blue Symphony”, NanDaiHe International Sculpture Exhibition, China
2010 Beijing International Art Biennale
2010 Cairo Biennale
2009 Shanghai Sculpture Park, China
2008 Collection of Olympics Fine Arts 2008, August 2008(5 volumes) Volume 5-Sculpture and Prints, pages 84/242.
2007 “Little Rabbit” Luo Ying’s poetry anthology
2007 Cass Sculpture Foundation,UK
2006 Chin Pao Shan, Memorial Rose Garden, Taipei, Taiwan
2005 Toyamura International Sculpture Biennale, Hokkaido, Japan
2003 ‘Thinking Big Exhibition’ Peggy Guggenheim Museum, Venice Italy
2002 ‘Ocherous Earth’ Royal Society of British Sculptors Gallery, London
2002 International Sculpture Symposium, Yuzi Paradise, Guilin, China
1999 Pier Walk, The Chicago International Sculpture Exhibition, Chicago, USA
1999 Toyamura International Sculpture Biennale, Hokkaido, Japan
1998 Pier Walk’98, Navy Pier, Chicago, USA
1997 International Art Collective, Gallery Zero, Barcelona, Spain
1996 Shared Passion’, MB Modern gallery, NY, USA
1995 The 2nd Fujisankei Biennale, Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum, Japan
1995 Toyamura International Sculpture Biennale, Hokkaido, Japan
1994 Sculpture South’94, Centennial Celebration Exhibition, South Carolina State Museum, USA
1993 Fujisankei International Sculpture Exhibition for Contemporary Sculpture,
Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum, Japan
1993 Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
1991 The 7th Henry Moore International Sculpture Exhibition, Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum, Japan

 

PUBLISHED

• Two lectures there were translated and published in Volume II, Public Art Great Forum Lectures and Discourses Collection. China Academy of Arts Press 2014.

• 2013 China National Sculpture Magazine. Issue devoted to 3rd Abstract Sculpture Class including my article and teaching.

• Published essay, Abstract Sculpture in The National Chinese Sculpture Magazine, 2011 October issue. Pg 35 -35

• 2010 Presented a paper “the influence of technical progress to the development of sculptural forms” at the 16th China Sculpture Forum in Beijing
Paper will also be published in December’s issue of National Sculpture Magazine of China

• 2010 Published article “Abu Dhabi International Sculpture Symposium” in a bi-yearly Middle Eastern magazine: Contemporary Practices, Visual Arts from the Middle East

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