Spectator Jonze

Spectator Jonze is the moniker of the artist behind Deena Lynch. Lynch was born in Yokohama, Japan to a Taiwanese mother and an Australian father. She migrated to Australia under less than certain circumstances when she was 6 years old. Lynch grew up in many different homes under many different situ...

Spectator Jonze is the moniker of the artist behind Deena Lynch. Lynch was born in Yokohama, Japan to a Taiwanese mother and an Australian father. She migrated to Australia under less than certain circumstances when she was 6 years old. Lynch grew up in many different homes under many different situations and circumstances. She was not quite an orphan, but didn’t quite belong anywhere.

Throughout her childhood and adolescence this put Lynch in touch with a myriad of people and demons, coming from disjointed backgrounds themselves, or from positions of power. Having experienced physical and sexual abuse throughout this time, it pushed Lynch into the safety of PTSD where suppression, depression and dissociation became a survival tactic.

Having always carried a creative mind, it was only natural that Lynch used art and music as an outlet. 2017 was the year Lynch finally came to an age and understanding regarding her mental health, trauma and quirks. It was through her visual art – utilised as a cathartic vessel – that she began to uncover her secrets, even ones she had hidden from herself.

Spectator Jonze is the culmination of self-discovery and healing that has evolved into a people project of passion, bringing mental health to light by depicting the often-taboo subject of our individual battles. She does this through a colourful, comedic display of imperfectly perfect beauty through her subjects.

In two years, Spectator Jonze has completed over 100 portraits and has had her work commissioned by Christian Louboutin, Reebok, BMW, Hohe Luft Magazin (A German publication), Adobe and The Tivoli as well as featured in VOGUE Australia, Style, VOGUE Singapore, GRAZIA, 10 Magazine, FLAUNT and more. Spectator Jonze has also won the People’s Choice Award 2018 at the Just Art Exhibition for the Law Society of NSW, received a Highly Commended for RQAS Young Artist’s Award 2018 and was a finalist in the Brisbane Portrait Prize 2019 and in 2020.