ARTIST STATEMENT
Ashe is interested in the politics of belonging and in finding new ways to challenge existing social borders and cultural boundaries. A central concern of Ashe's work is his personal response to dominant authorities and cultures that contradict his ideal of an inclusively diverse society, one that respects not only fundamental rights and freedoms, but also the social, cultural and sexual identities of individuals. Ashe’s art is instantaneous, direct and without apology. Primarily known for his photographic and video installations, Ashe also paints, draws, stages performances and invites public participation in his work. At times humorous and at times confronting, Ashe elicits responses from his viewers. By inviting the audience to engage with politically loaded topics, he creates dynamic spaces open to dialogues. Ashe’s artistic practice provides a powerful and often challenging commentary on what it means to look for a safe place to belong within contemporary society.
Much of Ashe’s work features barriers that demand to be challenged or confronted.
Ashe was born in Melbourne in 1974. He graduated from Sydney College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Photography) in 1995, then went on to the Victorian College of the Arts where he achieved a Masters of Contemporary Art in 2014. Ashe has held solo exhibitions at MAMA (Murray Art Museum Albury), The Rumpus Room, Kings ARI, Blindside Gallery and BUS Projects. He has also participated in numerous group exhibitions across Australia, and internationally, at Parliament House Australia, Canberra; MAMA, Albury; Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne; Lehrter Siebzehn, Berlin; tête, Berlin; Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington; HOTA, Gold Coast; The Substation, Newport; Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart; Campbelltown Arts Centre, Campbelltown; and Araluen Gallery, Alice Springs. Ashe has received funding from the Australia Council for the Arts and Regional Arts Victoria for the development of his practice. He was the recipient of the Ian Potter Cultural Trust Emerging Artist Grant in 2014 and the National Gallery of Victoria Women's Association Award in 2013. His work has been selected as finalist in awards including, 2019 Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award, 2016 Incinerator Art Award-Art for Social Change, 2014 Bowness Photography Prize and 2013 Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award. Ashe was artist-in-residence at Picture Berlin (2014) in Berlin (DE) and for the Laughing Waters Artist Residency Program (2013) in Eltham (AU).