Artist/Poet
PROJECTS / COMMISSIONS
I have been commissioned to undertake projects in poetry, illustrations, artworks and 'poetry maps' for a range of organisations: The National Trust; Durham University; Creative Black Country, Multistory, Writerz & Scribez and Neon Books.
I am open to commissions that support people and organisations to develop their understanding of place. This process is collaborative, involving qualitative research which utilises the words, thoughts and opinions of people within the organisation and the local community.
TESTIMONIALS
Jess Piette (Project Coordinator)
Lee Mackenzie has been commissioned to create a community-engaged arts project as part of Multistory's environmental, urban greening arts programme Green Roots. Lee's work is formed through research and encounters; he has a keen interest in unearthing the tangled socio-political contexts, stories and histories of a place, approaching this collaboratively with community members through a socially engaged practice that is rooted within care. At the heart of his work is a desire to co-create a horizontal space where people from all walks of life can come together to take ownership of the places in which they live.
Rosie Slay (Engagement, Education and Events Manager)
Elan Links commissioned Lee to create a poetry map which connected the Elan Valley to Birmingham, through a series of workshops at either site. Lee was very thorough in his research, making sure he really understood the complex issues surrounding the project. His map has a beautiful internal logic, and we can't wait to see the finished piece.
Kerry O' Coy (Marketing & Content Manager)
Creative Black Country's associate producers commissioned Lee and Lauren [Hatchard] during the Summer of 2022 to produce a new project for our 'Dudley Creates - Summer of Creativity' strand. The Netherton Creative Map concept proved to be a wonderful way to engage with residents of the area with a co-created project that allowed local people to shape ideas and share stories. Lee and Lauren proved to be excellent communicators and creatives with a complimentary skillset which allowed them to bring stories to life via a number of artistic ways. The online 'time capsule' and films they produced offers a snapshot of a unique Black Country place in a beautiful and thoughtful way. We hope to work with Lee and Lauren again so they can bring their magic to more Black Country areas.
Jemilea Wisdom-Baako (CEO and Creative Director)
During summer 2021, Lee was commissioned by Writerz & Scribez to produce artwork inspired by National Trust property 575 Wandsworth Road, alongside other artists for our Ujamaa Project. Lee was absolutely fantastic, throughout the project he positively engaged with artists and facilitators, contributed to discussion, was generous with feedback and a pleasure to work with. The originality of his work coupled with his eye for detail, poetic flair and artistic ambition was a wonder to behold and we were all greatly inspired by the presentation of his final piece. His response to the house was a beautiful representation of the power of art to connect people through time and place and we look forward to more people experiencing his work upon publication.
Lisa Carruthers (Curator)
Lee worked on the Ujamaa project in collaboration with National Trust property 575 Wandsworth Road and local arts organisation Writerz and Scribez. Lee produced work inspired by the art at 575, which showcased his artistry and skill in both poetry and mapmaking. Lee’s work exactly reflected the brief he was set, and exceeded our expectations in terms of the personal connection that he made with the story of the house and which was evident in his final work. He worked in a collaborative and consultative way with our team all the way through the project, which has resulted in a piece that reflects 575 in a sensitive, novel, and thoughtful way.
Jewels in the Dark' involved artists working collaboratively and developed ideas from the remit provided by us. The resulting work is engaging and will be a beacon for other universities.
FASCINATING
WORLD
We hired Lee to create an illustration for use as an avatar and in other digital assets. His work was quick, of an excellent standard, and fitted the brief perfectly - he even went above and beyond by providing several preliminary sketches to choose from. We'd certainly work with Lee again.