Leyla Stevens
Dr Leyla Stevens
Leyla Stevens is an Australian-Balinese artist who works within a lens-based practice. Her work has made a significant contribution to expanded documentary genres in Australian video art, as well as exploring the reparative potential of artmaking framed within political and social justice issues. Her practice is informed by ongoing engagements with storied places, archives, cultural geographies and performance lineages through a transcultural lens.
In 2021 Leyla was awarded the prestigious 66th Blake Art Prize for her film, 'Kidung', which engages with Bali’s histories of political violence. Her immersive multi-channel video installations have been exhibited widely through prominent national and international group exhibitions, including presentations at: Museum of Contemporary Art, UQ Art Museum, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Artspace Sydney, Campbelltown Arts Centre, West Space, Guangdong Times Museum and Seoul Museum of Art. Recent film commissions include 'PAHIT MANIS, Night Forest' (2024) for the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Contemporary Project series; 'GROH GOH, Rehearsal for Rangda' (2023) for the 2023 TarraWarra Biennial & 17thJogja Biennale; and 'Patiwangi, the death of fragrance' (2021) for The National 2021: New Australian Art.
Leyla has been the recipient of multiple arts grants for the development of new work, including a VACS Major Commissioning Project through Creative Australia. Her works are held in major public collections including Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Gallery of NSW and Kadist. She works collaboratively as a member of Woven Kolektif, an artist group exploring diasporic connections to Indonesia. Leyla is currently Lecturer in Fine Art at Monash Art Design and Architecture.