Lesley Sanderson was born in Malaysia in 1962, to a Malaysian mother and British father. She graduated from Sheffield Polytechnic with a BA in Fine Art in 1984.[2] She now teaches at the University.[2]
Sanderson's early works explored her own identity and mixed heritage using self portraits.[3] They often offered a commentary on the depiction and fetishization of 'exotic' women in art.[2] On this topic, Sanderson said: '“I think it’s particularly important that non-white women are represented in a way that provides an alternative to National Geographic-type media representations of ‘ethnic’ women being exotic, submissive and readily available for the gaze.”'[2] In her work she attempts to break away from such traditions and re-establish her identity on her own terms.[2] For her portraits Sanderson typically used oil pastel on paper or acrylic and oil on canvas.[2]
In 1988, she participated in an exhibition titled Along the Lines of Resistance: an exhibition of contemporary feminist art, at the Cooper Gallery, Barnsley. In this exhibition Sanderson states that she uses the self-portrait to address racist and gender stereotypes.[4]
Her work also appeared in the 1988 exhibition Black Art: Plotting the Course.[1]
Sanderson's work for the exhibition Four x 4 reframed George Fredrick Watts' bust Clytie displayed at the Harris Museum in Preston.[2] Sanderson's interpreted Clytie as an 'emphatic symbol' in her objectification.[2] In response she created a series of self-portraits to be displayed alongside the bust.[2]
Sanderson's work was exhibited at The British Art Show 1990 as well as New North at Tate Liverpool.[2]
In the 1990s, Sanderson's focus shifted from works on canvas to mixed media forms while maintaining her signature themes of identity and her duel heritage.[2] Since 1998, she has been collaborating with Neil Conroy as Conroy Sanderson.[5] Their work aims to re-interpret understandings of cultural identity.[6]
Sanderson's work was featured in the book Shades of Black: Assembling Black Arts in 1980s Britain.[2]
