Dora Lam is an interdisciplinary artist from London. She navigates notions of identity, diaspora, transnationalism and heritage. Her socially-engaged work deals with cultural complexity, microhistories and memory on personal and collective levels. She is especially interested in how collaborative art practices can mine, construct and preserve the more nuanced forms of cultural and familial heritage overshadowed by mainstream historical narratives.

She is interested in the elastic tensions between individuality, multiplicity and commonality and explores how art-making can be accessible and evade ownership. She works with social engagement, live painting, video, performance, craft and writing and community is at the forefront of her practice.

Dora is a trustee at Hackney Chinese Community Services and co-founder of the book club ESEA Archives.

AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES

2023
Uncovering Vietnamese Archives Artist in residence, Museum of the Home

2021
Artist in residence, China Exchange (London Chinatown)
Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) Award

EXHIBITIONS/TALKS/WORKSHOPS

2024
Overcoming Blocks - Bow Skills Workshop - Bow Arts

2023
ALTAR-NATIVE Group Exhibition and Workshop - Ugly Duck Courage Yard
ALTAR-NATIVE Rhythm & Ritual Workshop - Ugly Duck Courage Yard
No Place Like Home Panel discussion - Museum of the Home
The Navigator Project Chapter 1: Methods of Documenting a Journey Exhibition - Fitzrovia Gallery
HERITAGE, RESEARCH AND COLLABORATION WITH ESEA COMMUNITIES Talk - Tate Liverpool
Uncovering Vietnamese Archives Workshops and Live Exhibition - Museum of the Home
QMH Arts Afternoons - Queen Mary’s Hospital Roehampton
Not Too Sweet - London Short Film Festival screening - Institute of Contemporary Art

2021
Grayson Perry’s Art Club Exhibition (Dec 2021)
WE/MAKE/DO — Bridging the generation gap (Online workshops) in partnership with Hackney Chinese Community Services
Made In Chinatown - Intangible Cultural Heritage through food practices (held at China Exchange)
DRUMMER, WARRIOR, STORYTELLER - Touring screening and exhibition (collaboration with Apex Zero)
Lingua Franker — A Shiftists Group Exhibition - Hoxton 253, London

EDUCATION

TBC - MA Contemporary Art Practice (Royal College of Art) - deferred
2021 - Post-graduate Diploma (Royal College of Art)
2005 - BSc Business Computing Systems (City University, London) - First Class (Hons)