Working across painting, sculpture, photography and film, Lee has crafted a visual lexicon that takes on the complexities of the self in times of dissonance and globalization.
Lee’s parents are bible translators, and spent three decades working closely with the Sherpa community in the Solukhumbu region in Nepal.
[4] In 2022, Lee participated in an exhibition at the Aspen Art Museum titled “Mountain/Time”, curated by Chrissie Iles, Anisa Jackson and Simone Krug.
In 2022, Lee had a solo exhibition at François Ghebaly Gallery in Los Angeles, titled “Migrant Reader” [6], which included a large-scale banner installation, photographs, and wall works.
In 2024, Lee had a solo exhibition at François Ghebaly Gallery in Los Angeles, titled “hold shimmer wind” [9], which included Bondage Baggage sculptures, wrought iron sculptures, paintings, a rope installation, and a video titled “The Line”, the final segment to Lee’s three-part video series.
2024 hold shimmer wind, François Ghebaly Gallery, LA [12] 2024 Once we leave a place is it there, Great Hall Exhibition curated by Clarice Lee, Malaika Newsome, Fiona Yu, Ruiqi Wang, Institute of Fine Arts, NYU[13] 2023 The skin of the earth is seamless, Tina Kim Gallery, NYC[14] 2022 Migrant Reader, François Ghebaly Gallery, LA[15] 2021 The Language of Grief, Colorado in the Present Tense MCA Denver curated by Nora Abrams, Denver, CO[16] 2018 Access to Tools, Jack Hanley Gallery NYC[17] 2016 01/10/16, Eli Ping Frances Perkins Gallery, NY 2024 threads, curated by Henri Gisler, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich[18] 2023 Revolt of the Body, curated by Simon Wu, Tina Kim Gallery[19] 2023 Motherboy curated by Stella Bottai and Gray Wielebinski, Gio Marconi Gallery, Milan[20] 2023 Colorado Women to Watch, a groupshow with Suchitra Mattai, Senga Nengudi, Kim Dickey, Ana Maria Hernando, Center for Visual Art, Denver[21] 2023 Wishing Well Parker Gallery, LA[22] 2023 Listen until you hear Organized by Fotografiska + For Freedoms, NYC[23] 2022 Learn but the letters forme(d) by heart,Then soon you'l gain this noble art, Adams and Ollman Gallery, Portland[24] 2022 And Still No Rain, Daniel Faria Gallery, Toronto[25] 2022 Mountain/Time curated by Chrissie Illes, Anisa Jackson and Simone Krug, Aspen Art Museum, CO[26] 2019 Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum of American Art[27] 2019 Horology, curated by Elizabeth Jaeger and Silke Lindner-Sutti, Jack Hanley Gallery[28] 2019 Harlem Postcards curated by Yelena Keller, Studio Museum 127, Harlem[29] 2017 Microcosm, Roberts & Tilton Gallery, Los Angeles[30] 2016 A Being in the world, curated by Jayson Musson, Salon 94 Gallery, NY[31] 2016 Anthem of the Sun curated by Pali Kashi, Canada Gallery, NY Gaza Mutual Aid Print, published by Kingsland Printing, BK 2024[32] Subliminal Message in Green, a print edition with Nine Orchard Hotel, Produced by Harlan + Weaver, NY 2024[33] Bondage Baggage Residuum, a silkscreen print published by Kingsland Printing, BK 2023[34] Bondage Baggage Lift, an aquatint print edition printed and produced by Harlan + Weaver 2022[35] Language As Storage, Picture Room, NY 2022[36] Helmut Lang SS22 intervention by Maia Ruth Lee, Sept 2021[37] Writing Through Grief, Lighthouse Writers Workshop with poet Carolina Ebeid, MCA Denver 2021[38] Auspicious Glyphs 2021 is a fundraising edition for Printed Matter 2021[39] Sign and Symbols for Healing, A workshop for Teachers, New Museum 2020[40] Whitney Screens The Stranger (2018), Whitney Museum 2020 [41] Anthology of Time, published by Peradem Press, 2019[42] Soft Surfaces, Harlem Postcards, Studio Museum 127, 2019 Paintings of Illustrations of Women at Work, Peradem, 2017[43] Jewelry design for TUZA (Dharma Charms / Symbols & Signs), 2016 - 2018 ZINE TORNADO, NYABF, MoMa PS1, NY 2016[44] Something Extracted, Exhibtion A Editions, 2016[45] GRAMMAR, Artist Feature, The Picture Room, NY, 2016[46] The Absence, 8-Ball Publications, 2016 Bondage Baggage, Pauwau publications, 2016 Auspicious Glyphs; NY Art Book Fair, MoMA PS1, 2015 [47] The SEA issue, COLORS Magazine 2011 Imperial Valley; published with Peter Sutherland; February 2011[48] North Fake; published with Peter Sutherland; November 2010[49] Signs and Voices; director and organizer; publication and photography workshop; co-led with Peter Sutherland; Kathmandu, Nepal; May 2010 Chillzine; co-founder and editor; Seoul, Korea; 2006 – 2010 https://mcadenver.org/exhibitions/maia-ruth-lee https://www.prospect6.org/artists/maia-ruth-lee