Research Focus

• Artistic Research - in practice, education and across disciplines

• The future of graduate art education: designing new MFA and PhD programs

• Site-specific and Interdisciplinary Art

• Transcultural Collaboration between Universities

• Academic Coaching

Research in India

Exploring Contemporary art and performance in India: How can one explore Rasa – the aesthetic “feel” within traditional Indian performance and how can this be translated into contemporary performance? How can one explore expressions of face and body (rasa-abhinaya) within contemporary performance? And, finally, how can we envision artistic research as a unique and meaningful way to contemplate South Asian cultures outside of current lenses? 

During my research year I will conduct academic and practice-based research on traditional and contemporary Indian performance and ritual. As part of my research I will host four performance workshops, six lectures and two public art exhibitions. As part of my research I will also produce a 90-minute project documentary to familiarize audiences with the research.

Context: Resisting the globalized and the colonial urge to impose homogenized contemporary aesthetics on the Indian artscape, contemporary scholars today now examine India’s participation in the “global artscape” (D’Souza, 2017). 

The advancement of rapid communications and cultural exchange has caused the erosion and disappearance of important traditions through which cultures identify themselves. International art fairs, biennials and blockbuster museum exhibitions systematically reduce art into mere homogenized products made for global consumers. Artists, today need to be in-conversation (Lippard, 2010) with local cultures to foster mutual understanding and progress the field. My research will expand this conversation to explore India’s complex cultural landscapes. 

Indian artists draw inspiration from a rich culture and unique aesthetic traditions. Artists in India that are shaping the field of contemporary performance include Sahej Rahal (b. 1988) who explores the alterity (otherness) of shamanic practices performed within public spaces. The ritualized performances become pronounced precisely because they are created and simultaneously camouflaged within visual landscapes where ritual becomes omnipresent. Pushpamala N (b. 1956) is an Indian artist who explores the alterity of Indian heroine stereotypes inspired by gender roles from traditional Indian visual culture and recreated in Bollywood film. As a contemporary artist using her body as subject, Pushpamala occupies and “flips” the audience’s passive perception of gendered roles. Nikhil Chopra (b. 1974) explores both his Indian family history and collective histories captured in semi-autobiographical performances and installations that explore the post-colonial Indian body. Also shaping the discipline is Natasha Ginwala (b.1985) who writes how “… the socialized body may attain freedom by altering its representational logic and public image.” (Documenta 2017). Further, I am investigating other artists whose exploration of the performative body and ritual will inform my research including: Navtej Singh Johar, Maya Rao, Avni Sethi, Rajyashree Ramamurthy, Ranjana Dave, Zuleikha Chaudhari and Amitesh Grover who in particular has incorporated ritual 'mourners' into performance. The Otolith Group (Anjalika Sagar and Kodwo Eshun at Goldsmiths, London) in their film O Horizon (2018) explore the shifting topic of Transnational Borders through their sound and visual landscapes of Santiniriken in West Bengal as an entry point into Rabindranath Tagore’s experimental modes of learning across cultural borders. 

Preparation for this research

This research builds upon prior Fulbright research projects in Central Asia and East Asia at Columbia University’s Department of Art History and Archeology including coursework with South Asia specialists at Columbia UNiversity including: Professor John Stratton Hawley; Professor Thomas Yarnall; Professor Vidya Dehejia; Professor Jonathan Crary and Professor Uttara Asha Coorlawala, Specialist in South Asian Dance.

Exploring New Modes of Site Specific-Reactivity

Exploring live art-making as a process I explore spontaneity and movement that cause us to experience works of art as dynamic - as a series of processes with multiple open-ended outcomes that continually change. Also exploring improvisational performance we can open artistic research to unexpected discoveries that are unique to local-specific contexts, bringing about new ways of engaging with art, sites and performances.

Shared processes with local groups creates an othering of selves and a resulting parapraxis - through the invocation of a subconscious. Michel Foucault writes of an “…unveiling of the non-conscious.” . 

About Les

Education

Post-Doctorate (2017) School of Art and Communications, University of São Paulo, Brazil

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, 2012), Faculty of Art, Environment and Technology, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK

Masters in Fine Art (2001), Musashino Art University, Japan Monbusho Award, Tokyo, Japan

Master of Arts (1997), Fine Art, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK

Master of Science (1988), Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, Boston University and Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium

Bachelor of Fine Arts (1996, Honours, 1996), Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, University of the Arts, London, UK

Bachelor of Arts (cum laude, 1986), Boston University, Boston, MA

Other Education

Columbia University Visiting Scholar and Scientist Program, Columbia University, New York, USA

Studio Masterclass, James Rosenquist, Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA

Visiting Scholar, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-arts, Paris, France

Visiting Scholar, Taiwan Ministry of Education Huayu Scholar National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

Curricula and Syllabi

Emerging the New Art School in Tactical Programs that interface the artist [curriculum] 

Models for Developing a Contemporary Program and School in Central Asia [curriculum] 

Evolving Boundaries: Environmental Art from the 1960s to present [syllabus] 

Building Museum Leadership: Coaching Practices in the Creative Industries [workshop]

Engaged Critique in Contemporary art: expanded concepts of installation [tutorial/critique]

Supervision and mentorship on MFA and PhD programs in Fine Art [syllabus]

New Global: Contemporary art and border, identity and the new territorialization of public spaces [panel]

Doctoral Supervision in practice-based research [syllabus]

Searching for alternatives to the Modern, Contemporary and the Post-Post Modern: Relocating creative practice [syllabus] 

Engaging the contemporary artist with professional practices for long term critical development [workshop and panel] 

Chinese contemporary art: Parallel critical developments between the East and West from Modernism to Contemporary [syllabus] 

Awards

2021 Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Award (US Department of State)

2020 US Department of State, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs Grant for Colombia

2019 US Department of State, American Arts Incubator ZERO1: Art and Technology Artist 

2017 Fulbright Hays US Public Diplomacy China Award

2017 CEC ArtsLink Foundation Grant, St. Petersburg, Russia

2017 Taiwan Ministry of Education (MOE) Language Scholar National Cheng Kung University

2017 Renmin University of China Merit Award for Teaching

2016 Wheatley Foundation Fellow, Birmingham City University, UK

2016 US Department of State Field Research Fellow, American Center for Mongolian Studies

2015 Fellow ,University of the Arts London Research Center on Transnational Art, Identity and Nation

2014 Fulbright Hays US Public Diplomacy Award for Mongolia

2014 CEC ArtsLink Foundation Grant for Mongolia

2009 Queenstown Council, Singapore Citation Award, Singapore

2009 Edwin Austin Abbey Fellowship, National Design Museum, New York

2009 Bauhaus Foundation Fellow, Dessau, Germany

2008 The Nordic Artists Center Fellowship, Norway 

2001 Musashino Art University Selection Award

2001 Japanese Ministry of Education and Culture Scholar (Monbusho) (1998-2001) 

1998 Japanese Ministry of Education and Culture Japanese Language Scholar (1997-1998)

1996 Academic Honours, Central Saint Martins College of Art, London

1995 Erasmus Scholarship, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-arts, Paris

1995 King Sturge Award for Sculpture, London

Conferences

ISEA International Symposium of Electronic Art, Asia Culture Center, Gwangju, Korea

Session-Chair, ProjectAnywhere Conference, Parson School of Art, New School, New York. (2018) 

Plenary Keynote Speaker on PhD research, School of Art, Peking UNiversity, Beijing (2018) 

Artist-centric practices within the museum, Museum2050, Long Museum, Shanghai (2018)

Co-Chair, Young Researcher Conference, Mongolia (2016)

International Committee, College Art Association conference (2015-present)

Japan Startup NYC, Microsoft, New York (2016)

Presidents Forum on Higher Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York (2016)

Keynote Speaker, Young Researcher Conference Mongolia

National University of Education and the American Center for Mongolian Studies (2015)

Royal Geographical Society Conference, London (2013)

Editorial Committee, ProjectAnywhere Conference, Parsons/ New School, New York (2015)

Panelist, Artists’ Workspaces: Portability, Contingency, Virtuality, 

College Art Association conference, Chicago (2014)

Panelist Going Beyond: Art as Adventure (CAA, Washington, DC) (2018) 

European League of Institutes in the Arts (ELIA) conferences, Seoul (2012) and Vienna (2013).

Selected Publications, Studies and Research

Diversity, Equity and Creative Practices in South Asia (2022) Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

Reclaiming Artists Research (journal review, 2020), Journal for Artistic Research, Basel

“The Artist-centric model in museums” in Looking to New Institutional Models: China’s Cultural Landscape by Mid-Century, Ching, N and Tanner, L, (eds), Long Museum, Shanghai (2019)

Emerging models for teaching, New York: Critical Practices (2019)

“The Artist as Explorer,” in Going Beyond: Art as Adventure (2018) O’Neill et al (eds.), Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars.

Interfacing Technology with Site (2019) ISEA International Symposium of Electronic Art, Korea

DrawnOver: Contemporary Drawing, Vojvodina, Serbia: Museum of Contemporary Art [catalogue]. (Joynes and Vu, 2018).

“The Artist Explorer: FormLaboratory: Geographically Dispersed Performance in Brazil (2012-2013) and Mongolia (2014)” Sao Paulo, Brazil: Escola de Comunicações e Artes, Universidade de São Paulo [post-doctoral thesis]. 

Anywhere v.1. (2015). Lowry, S. and Douglas, S. (eds.),Melbourne, Australia: University of Melbourne and New York: Parsons School of Art, Media and Technology, Parsons, New School for Design, New York. 

“The Artist as Explorer,” Washington D.C.: College Arts Association Conference            

Les Joynes and Thomas Vu in Interview” in Draw: Artists from China at  Inside Out Art Museum, New York: LeRoy Neiman Foundation [catalogue].    

“FormLaboratory” in Art and Research at the Outermost Limits of Site Specificity (2014) Lowry, S and Douglas, S. (eds.). Newcastle, Australia: Univ. of Newcastle. Joynes, L. (2014).“Nomadic and Geographically Dispersed Practice,” Chicago: College Arts 

New Institutional Models: China’s Cultural Landscape by Mid-Century, Long Museum, China (2018)

Going Beyond: Art as Adventure, O’Neill, R et al (eds), Cambridge Scholars, UK (2018)

“The Invisible and the Transvisible in contemporary art in Singapore,” in Octopus, Journal for Visual Culture: University of California, Irvine

"Multi-spatial Performance: at Bauhaus-Dessau, November 2008:  Record Dances, Bühnenstudios der Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau [Internet].

Taking the LEED: Examining the costs and benefits of environmental efficiencies,  New York (2007)

“Intelligence, technologies and applications to genomics” Legislation of genetic testing in the US and Iceland: Legislative Implications and strategies, Tokyo, Japan

Ethics and Genetic population testing - engineering best practices in the US and Iceland (2004)

Bringing Intelligence to the technological interface between technology and interface in Japan (2003)  

Clinical research development in human aging sciences, Tokyo, Japan (2003)

The Human Genome: Areas of Light and Shadow (E.Kon et al, Shokabo Publishing, Tokyo 2001)

“Some Say They Did: Some Say They Didn’t, Contemporary Art of Yoshitomo Nara at Ginza Art Space” New York: Art in America.

“The New Pathetic. Contemporary British art in the 1990s,”Vienna: Springer.

Scientific Journal Editing, Tohoku University, Japan.   

”Managing The Technology Transfer Process: The Parallel Learning Mechanism (with A. Shani) , Seoul: Dankook University Press.

The New Pathetic: Contemporary Art in London, Springer [magazine], Hamburg, Germany (1997)

“Emerging materials applications in sound: use of polycarbonates and semiconductors for digital audio” Brussels (1991) 

Joynes et al (1991) “Resourcing Tetra-butyl hydro-peroxide for radical polymerization Initiators, Brussels.

Competitive Strategies in Fiber-optic technologies, Brussels (1990)        

”Radiative mineral spectrometry and refraction technologies,” Brussels (1990)      

“Petroleum and derivatives competitive Analysis:Europe,” Brussels (1990)

“Introducing eco-recyclables into manufacturing” Brussels (1990)

“Post-Graduate Management Education Programs, Boston University (1987)

Juries and Editorial Boards

CEC ArtsLink Jury Reviewer for Artists, New York (2021)

CEC ArtsLink Jury Reviewer for Art Managers, Curators, New York (2021)

Editorial Board Member for ProjectAnywhere [journal] University of Melbourne and Parsons School of Art, New York (2015-preent)

Art and Anthropology Committee, Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain, London (2020-present)

Nordic Artist Center, Selection Committee, Norway (2008)

Harlem Arts Alliance Grant Selection Jury, New York (2010)

Teaching Graduate (PhD) 

2020-pres PhD Fine Art Tutorials and Coaching, Victorian School of the Arts, University of Melbourne, Australia

2015 PhD Masterclass on Doctoral Research and Fieldwork, Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London, UK

Teaching Graduate (MA, MFA) 

Beyond Pedagogy (2021) a Workshop for future university art educators, School of Arts & Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Academic Careers in the Arts - Individual Pathways (upcoming coaching workshop for postgraduates)

Artmaking through Pandemic. (2020-present) Coaching to MFA students (Individual teaching), Columbia University School of the Arts

Strategies for Global Leaders: Coaching to MBAs and EMBA students (Individual teaching) (2020-present)

Entrepreneurship in the Arts: Creating Museums of the Future (seminar) (2018), Peking University Institute for Cultural Industries, Beijing

US-China Collaboration in Practice with students from China Academy of Fine Arts (2018) Fulbright US Public Diplomacy Award

American Modern and Contemporary Art History (undergraduate and graduate) Professor of Record 2013-present). Renmin University of China, Beijing. Professor of Record (2013-present) 

Experimental Art and New Media (undergraduate and graduate). (Professor of Record, 2018-present) Renmin University of China, Beijing

RA Studio Tutorials, Royal Academy of Art, London, UK (2015)

MA Fine Art Studio Tutorials, Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London (2015)

MA Fine Art Studio Tutorials, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK (2015)

MA Fine Art Studio Tutorials, University of Coventry, Coventry, UK (2015)

MA Tutorials, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, UK (2011-2012)

MFA Studio Tutorials, Columbia University School of the Arts (2008-2009) 

Artist Residencies

Inside Out Art Museum, Beijing (2018) 

CEC-Arts Link, St. Petersburg, Russia (2017)

Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado, São Paulo, Brazil (ResArtis, 2013)

Seoul Foundation for Art and Culture, Seoul, Korea (ResArtis, 2012)

FormLAB, Brazilian Museum of Sculpture (2012) 

Treignac Projet, France (2010)

Toosneger Foundation-Dordrecht Printmaking and Painting Residency, Holland (2008) 

Abbey Fellowship in Public Art, National Academy Museum, New York (2009)

Nordic Artists Center (NKD), Dalsasen, Norway (ResArtis, 2008)

Nagasawa Woodblock Printmaking Fellowship, Awaji, Japan (2006)

Poznan Summer Academy Residency, Poznan, Poland (1993 and 1994)