Biography
Tym Yee is an emerging artist living and working in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Darug and Guringai people. Drawing on his lived experiences as a second generation Chinese Australian and through the use of unconventional materials, he offers a distinct interpretation of contemporary Australian life through conceptual installations and paintings. His work uses humour, interactivity, and intrigue to engage audiences with themes such as cultural diversity, immigration, and Australian history, among other personal curiosities.
Prior to his turn to installation, Tym focused on showing 2D representational work with Michael Reid Northern Beaches Gallery, under the direction of celebrated Australian curator and best-selling author Amber Creswell-Bell. Since 2020 he has exhibited in numerous Australian galleries in group shows including Michael Reid, aMBUSH Gallery and Weswal Gallery, along with a solo show at the Blackroom Gallery on the Mornington Peninsula.
In addition to his art practice, Tym has been deeply engaged in academic research and in 2023 completed a PhD in media studies at Macquarie University. In 2020 he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship at Parliament House in Canberra to continue developing a scholarly research methodology alongside supervisors and mentors at metaLAB (at) Harvard, a multidisciplinary creative practice research cluster housed within the Berkman Klein Center at the Harvard Law School. His doctoral research draws on critical digital media theory, ethnography and creative practice to explore organisational culture and the future of white-collar work in the age of constant technological innovation. He has convened, lectured and tutored digital media subjects at Macquarie University and has a keen interest in teaching and facilitating. Work from his Master of Research thesis is published in the peer reviewed academic journal Persona Studies.
Professionally, Tym has worked as a copywriter, editor, digital content strategist, and marketing manager, in both agency and corporate settings for over a decade. He has executed creative work for brands such as Spotify Australia, Vodafone, Optus and American Express, and has contributed numerous columns to popular industry publications such as Marketing Magazine, Mumbrella and B&T. His interest in creative communications dates back to 2010, when he was part of a collective that founded a street press magazine called The Spit Press, which profiled Sydney’s burgeoning creative community. He is currently working with the Foxtel Group, leading their Employee Experience & Employer Branding projects.
In 2021, Tym partnered with Luke Mannion to set up Framepack.com.au, an online framing store servicing a growing community of emerging and established Australian artists. Every now and then he enjoys writing and recording music with his friend and long time collaborator Paul Conrad.
Artist's CV
2023
May - 'People of Colour Swatches' - solo show at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf, Woollahra, NSW
May - 'Spirit Wave' group show at Art Space on the Concourse, Chatswood, NSW
February - 'Art Decoder' community workshop at Chatswood Public Library, Chatswood, NSW
February - 'Inner Edge Drifting' group show at Art Space on the Concourse, Chatswood, NSW
2022
August - 'Bloom' group show at Weswal Gallery, Tamworth, NSW
May - 'Balmy' group show at Gallery Raye, Brisbane, QLD
March - 'Floor Plans' solo show at the Blackroom Gallery, Mornington Peninsula, VIC
February 2021-2022 – Creative Practice Research Affiliate (online), metaLAB (at) Harvard, MA, USA.
2021
November - Finalist, Bluethumb Art Prize
November - Anniversary group show at Michael Reid Northern Beaches, Sydney, NSW
July – 'Chasing the Sun' group show at Michael Reid Northern Beaches, Sydney, NSW
June – ‘While We’re Still Here’ group show at aMBUSH Gallery, Canberra, ACT
May – ‘Under the Sun’ group show at the Blackroom Gallery, Mornington Peninsula, VIC
January – ‘Summer Salon’ group show at Michael Reid Northern Beaches, Sydney, NSW
2020
December – Stockroom release at Michael Reid Northern Beaches, Sydney, NSW
August – Online solo release at Michael Reid Studio Direct, Sydney, NSW
July – Stockroom release at Michael Reid Studio Direct, Sydney, NSW
June – ‘Landscapes’ group show at Michael Reid Studio Direct, Sydney NSW
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Media Studies), Macquarie University - 2023
Master of Research (Media Studies), Macquarie University - 2018
Master of Digital Communication and Culture, University of Sydney - 2014
Bachelor of Media, Macquarie University - 2012
Certificate IV in Design, Shillington College - 2012
Former Lindfield studio.
Fulbright Scholarship presentation at Parliament House in Canberra, ACT, pictured with former Education Minister Dan Tehan.
Seminar at the Berkman Klein Center at the Harvard Law School.
PhD graduation ceremony at Macquarie University.