A Portrait of Now
About the Artist
Hi, I'm Tym Yee. I'm a Sydney-based artist whose work explores identity, presence, and cultural narratives through figurative painting and conceptual installations. I have been involved in various solo and group exhibitions and was most recently named a finalist in the 2025 Lester Prize, one of Australia's most prestigious portrait prizes. For my next artwork series I will be painting the lives of strangers I meet online through comments sections.
About the Series
This new body of work seeks to capture the essence of the cultural moment we are living through. Our feeds are full of voices — quick comments, sharp observations, fleeting one-liners — that capture something many of us feel but cannot always articulate. When these comments strike a nerve, they gather hundreds of likes, shares, and replies, reflecting broader beliefs about where we are as a society.
This series gives a face to those voices. By meeting, interviewing, and painting the people behind resonant online comments, the project brings context and backstory to words that usually live only on screens. The portraits aim to hold space for nuance: the humour, fatigue, frustration, and resilience threaded through everyday life right now. Together, they form a collective portrait of our times — intimate, human, and grounded in lived experience.
Call For Sitters
If I’ve reached out to you, it’s because something you wrote online struck a chord with lots of other people. Your words reflected not just your own experience, but a feeling widely shared.
I would love to meet with you to talk further and to create a painted portrait that shares your perspective in a deeper way. The process involves a relaxed conversation ideally in your everyday environment (home, work, local area), taking some photographs, and then I will paint your portrait in my studio.
This is not about polishing or branding — it’s about capturing real people whose voices matter in this moment.
FAQs
Why me?
I’ve reached out because something you wrote online resonated with many others. This project is about honouring those voices and giving them a human presence.
Do I need to be an activist, public figure, or influencer?
No. This series is about ordinary people whose words happen to strike a chord.
What does the process involve?
A casual meeting (around 2-3 hours) where we talk and take photographs. From these, I create a painting in my studio.
Do I have to share personal details?
Only what you are comfortable with. You can choose to be identified, partially anonymous, or anonymous.
Do I get to keep the painting?
No. The paintings are part of a larger series and will remain with the artist. However, you will receive high-quality photographs of the finished work, which you may use for personal, non-commercial purposes after our sitting.
Do I get paid?
No. This is a cultural observation project, not a commercial commission. The focus is on creating a shared portrait of this moment in time. If the portrait is sold via exhibition in the future, you will receive 10% of the sale price.
What happens with my portrait?
The works will form part of a larger series. Options will be explored to exhibit them in the future. Your portrait may be sold at this exhibition. This does mean your likeness may hang as a piece of artwork in somebody else's home.
Why take part?
Because your words already resonated with many. This project gives those words context and a face, sharing your story as part of a wider portrait of our times.
Will I have to sign anything?
Yes. As with all portraits, you will need to sign a release form. This will formally record that I have your permission to paint your portrait and use it for the purposes outlined above.