StudioZer0 Art
Photo: Beautiful Garbage 2004, Cheoungju South Korea. Kelli & Lois’ first Exhibition & Symposium with Nine Dragon Heads Artists.
Activating & Connecting West Australian Artists & Creatives with likeminded Individuals & Arts Communities Glocally!
StudioZer0 has provided support to a number of artists that embody & share non-traditional practices, purpose and/or processes - either as as artists or in relation to art itself.
In 2003 StudioZer0 Art formed an ongoing relationship with global arts organisation Nine Dragon Heads, (founded by Byoung-Uk Park 26 years ago) and have participated whenever possible in their international symposiums and projects.
We champion a democratisation of artists and art at the highest levels!
The Shipping Project
🚢
The Shipping Project 🚢
Perth’s Freshest Creative Hub
About StudioZer0
StudioZer0 was founded by Western Australian artists Kelli Sharp & Lois Schenk in 2003.
The two installation artists met as students of the Claremont School of Arts in the 1990’s and have continued to work together usually conceptually from opposite ends of a spectrum.
This collaboration was and still is a work in progress of nearly 30 years. As a result of their willingness and perseverance, it has allowed both women to grow exponentially as artists, but more importantly as human beings.
A template of hope born of this creative friendship has allowed them to see the great potential for cross-cultural pollination.
“If it’s possible for us in the micro then it’s possible for the same to be true in the macro,’ says Kelli.
In 2003 they ventured to South Korea where they lived and worked for over two years. It was at this time that they were first introduced via one of Kelli’s students, the Minister of Culture & Arts of Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province, to the Founder & Director of Nine Dragon Heads Global Art Association.
Nine Dragon Heads raised an ethical and environmental profile in the arts and was highly respected within Korea and globally.
For the first time StudioZer0 found like-minded artists from around the globe gathering annually within the institutional contexts of museums and galleries.
Above: Opening night Taste of Tea, Instanbul Bieannale 2017 Haydarpasa Train Station
Most significantly these gatherings facilitated connection and discussion with a variety of artists around deeper questions of life in relation to art and art practice.
Nine Dragon Heads founder and director, Park Byoung-Uk has facilitated symposiums and exhibitions for hundreds of artists globally for the past 26 years.
It was this serendipitous relationship that exposed and connected StudioZer0 to international symposiums and projects that inspired a new vision for how art could be supported and enlivened here in their hometown of Perth.
In 2007 Kelli & Lois were able to pay homage to this at home in Perth.
On their return to WA they installed FLOW, a studio zero exhibition at Cullity Gallery, The University of Western Australia where Kelli had obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2001. At that time, Kelli was the only Fine Art student to return to and exhibit at Cullity Gallery.
Above: Linked Objects, 2020, Jura Platz Biel/Bienne. SWISS.
About Nine Dragon Heads
Over these many years Nine Dragon Heads has facilitated artists from all over the world to unusual, unexpected, and at times conflicting circumstances. Projects have engaged locations of cultural, political and historic significance such as: the Demilita- rized Zone, the Aral Sea of Uzbekistan, the Tibetan Plateau, Mongolia, Sarajevo, within China places such as Beijing and Urumqi, the Taklamakan Basin, and the Gobi Desert. And more recently Tilbilsi Georgia in solidarity with Ukraine.
Nine Dragon Heads has fiercely fought for the democratisation of art and the freedom of the artist. As mentioned earlier always to embody non-traditional modalities where they have facilitated symposiums and exhibitions within the institutional contexts of museums and galleries, whilst also appropriating unexpected spaces outside of the more traditional, such as the desert or the historic Hydrapasa Train Station for the Instanbul Biennale in 2017. Here more than 40 train carriages, in their existing condition were bought back to the platforms and used as exhibition spaces by all the NDH artist. NDH is always seeking artists who desire to work within these ways. To embrace without fear to go against the grain of the more popular ideas of What Is Real Art especially in these discussions of more unpopular arena of sociopolitical and heavy political matters. ‘Always were the public spaces meets the private space. Something that StudioZer0 also passionately embraces!’ says Founding Member Kelli.
How we seek to support Perth-based artists:
Exposure to international projects and opportunities enabled through our existing close relationship with Nine Dragon Heads, such as the 2024 Venice Biennale
Enable artists to practice art in new locations and connect with like-minded artists through the development of an Artist in Residence program, alongside The Shipping Project
Bring artists and creatives together to network, explore, and grow through the creation of our multidisciplinary itinerant Creative Hub based in converted shipping containers.
Above: Downpiping It by Kelli Sharp, Beautiful Garbage 2004 Outdoor Exhibition Daecheong Lake Eco Park, South Korea
Art is our chosen medium through which we register change and communication within contemporary society from local to global levels. We see art, then, as ultimately ephemeral.
The History of StudioZer0
In 2003, following Kelli's graduation from the University of Western Australia (2001), she and Lois took positions teaching at a private academy in South Korea. While there, they were invited to attend the 9th Nine Dragon Heads International Environmental Art Symposium.
These events became the catalyst for creating the concept of StudioZer0 as an official entity. StudioZer0 sponsorships also enabled the collective to work toward a group exhibition Hurum at Hyundai Gallery, Hynix Corporation, Ji Yong & Woon Bo Gallery in June of 2004. This was the first International StudioZer0 Solo Exhibition.
As life would have it, in November of 2004 both Kelli and Lois were called back to Australia as both their fathers became ill within 2 months apart, and both sadly passed in 2008, just 5 weeks apart. These events naturally changed the course and direction of StudioZer0.
2007 saw StudioZer0 gathering together again to exhibit ‘Flow’ at Cullity Gallery, The University of Western Australia which was the accumulation and extension of the entire experience again from 2004 South Korea to the moment of installation in 2007 and even beyond that.
Maintaining contact with Nine Dragon Heads over these past 18+ years that followed, both Kelli and Lois have kept the StudioZer0 vision alive - to support and activate Perth-based artists at the local and international level, through exposure and connections not available otherwise.
Above: Nine Dragon Heads Artist 2004
Right: Lois Schenk Beautiful Garbage 2004 Daecheong Lake Eco Park
Meet the Founders
StudioZer0 evolved out of the supportive relationships of an unlikely group of mature female sculpture majors - graduates from the Claremont School of Art (1997) including Kelli Sharp and Lois Schenk.
-
FOUNDERKelli Sharp is an installation artist exploring the collapsing of binaries at their mid-point. Using this concept, her practice in earlier days were provocative post-feminist discussions within the realm of the human senses and sexuality.
Today, whilst still working towards collapsing binaries, her practice has moved into more cross-cultural pollination conversations and experiences of sociopolitical and sustainability matters.
Experience: Installation art practices, management history in private enterprise/corporate Australia, and a sometimes Festival Director.
-
GO-FOUNDERLois Schenk operates out of a reflective process within the context of conservative Christian perspective personal contemplation of Life through the prism of the redemptive reality of a Divine unfolding and the ancient texts of Christianity and Judaism.
Her practice follows a yearning to positively engage with God through the infinite yet often inaccessible substances of Faith, Hope and Love.
Such as the unseen substance that constitute the the essential flow of deep connection in, with and through the Heart of all Life.
Experience:
Solo and group exhibitions, community art, gallery and tour guiding, teaching, dreaming and lots of waiting. Community work, project research, and high regard for working always within the authentic spaces of life.
Meet the Committee
-
Fiona Comley
CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS & PUBLICIST
A graduate from WAAPA in Arts Management and after international stints in Edinburgh and London, Fiona brings her eclectic career experience to the StudioZer0 table. Her experience spans arts administration, marketing, publicity, events, sponsorship, and education to lead the StudioZer0 vision in Perth.
-
Malcolm Fiahlo
EQUITY AND DIVERSITY CONSULTANT
Malcolm was the driving force behind several nationally recognized Diversity & Inclusion programs while employed at the University of Western Australia (UWA). UWA was the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Employment Equity as well as being the only higher education institution to achieve Platinum Status from the national LGBTQ+ accreditation organization, Pride in Diversity.
With a master’s in Cross-Cultural Psychology Malcolm spent 3 decades managing community/organisational development programs with a focus on social change! He worked across multiple sectors including community-based, government and higher education.
Malcolm joins the StudioZer0 committee being committed to, and passionate about, the arts as a vehicle for expression, voice, engagement and community building.
-
Jodie Sharp
BUSINESS & MARKETING CONSULTANT
Jodie is a self-made entrepreneur who brings 30 years of savvy business acumen and extensive management experience in construction and manufacturing (where she rose to the top in a traditionally male-dominated industry) to support the StudioZer0 team.
-
Niki Michalek
DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER
Niki brings 10+ years of experience across events, digital marketing, and web with a background in small business, corporate, agency, and tech startups. Her passion for community activation and supporting creatives brings her to the team.
-
Geraldine Pillinger
GRANT WRITER & MANAGER
Geraldine is a creative producer and disability advocate. With a community development approach and a passion for empowerment through the arts, she brings her experience in arts production and understanding of disability advocacy to the team.
-
Samantha Hewlett
FINANCIAL CONSULTANT
Samantha is the financial driving force and budget manager behind StudioZer0 with 20+ years across Retail/Wholesale (Woolworths) and University (UWA), and the WA Health Department. She brings a wealth of expertise across marketing and budget to the team.
