Photo taken by Nicole Reed
BIOGRAPHY ————————
Jess began creating work in 2005, first exhibiting her work in 2008, and has spent most of her time toiling over a table ever since. Under the pseudonym 23rd Key, she creates photo-realistic stencils and hand painted works, taking no short-cuts and cutting all her stencils by hand. With a background in Printmaking, Graphic Design, Audio Engineering and Architecture, she brings this knowledge into her work and in recent years has adapted to installing and hand painting large scale mural works without the use of stencils.
Still in the early stages of her studio-based art career, she hand cuts each intricate layer, and this attention to detail has become a trademark of her work, winning her the Australian Stencil Art Prize in 2011, the World Stencil Art Prize in 2014, the Emerging Artist award at Forty-Five Downstairs in 2017 as well as inclusion in Sydney’s longest running charity auction event ‘Project 5’ with aMBUSH Gallery in 2014. Working with only 9 layers or fewer on any one piece, she doesn’t believe it’s the number of layers a stencil has that lends to her stunningly photo realistic images, but the amount of detail cut into each individual layer. Breaking ground in her medium, she is one of few stencil artists to incorporate 3D and free hand elements into her works and to create large scale murals both by hand painting as well as using stencils. The stencil cut murals have been a feature at Wall to Wall festival for consecutive years as well as in Brisbane for the Vibrant Laneways project.
In 2011 23rd Key held her first solo show, ‘Skills to Pay the Bills’, showcasing her ground-breaking 3D works, coupled with her already renowned photo-realistic street scenes and portraits. She followed this with her second exhibition in 2014, at Juddy Roller, titled ‘Keezus’, which focused around the themes of the artists ego and the human condition; themes that were so vast that a second show ‘Keezus: The Second Coming’ developed and launched in February of 2017. Followed these shows was ‘Forever Home’ in 2019, and a body of work that had matured and developed upon the prior shows, taking a broader look at how culture is represented through architecture and the emotional ties we have to certain places through inexplicable familiarity.
Having such a memorable style, it’s easy to distinguish her work from the rest, she is a jack of all trades, and a master of some.
EDUCATION &
EXHIBITION HISTORY ————————
Education
SAE Institute, Music Production, 2008 – 2009 (Graduated)
RMIT University, Fine Art – Printmaking, 2009-2010
Monash University, Bachelor of Visual Communication & Design, 2010 – 2013 (Graduated)
RMIT, Bachelor of Architecture & Design, 2016 – 2019 (Graduated)
Solo Exhibitions
Skills to Pay the Bills, Rancho Notorious Gallery, Melbourne, 2011
Keezus, Juddy Roller, Melbourne, 2014
Keezus: The Second Coming, The Stockroom - Ringwood, 2017
Forever Home, The Stockroom Gallery - Clifton Hill, 2019
Group Exhibitions
Australian Stencil Art Prize, Runner-Up, SYD, 2009
Melbourne Stencil Festival, Yarra Sculpture Gallery, VIC, 2009
Australian Stencil Art Prize – Finalist, SYD, 2010
Just Another Group Show, 1000 Pound Bend, VIC, 2010
Australian Stencil Art Prize –Winner, SYD, 2011
Ladie Killerz 4, One Five Faction, Footscray, VIC, 2011
Just Another Female Skateboard Exhibition, One Five Faction, Footscray, VIC, 2011
Up The Bend, Rancho Notorious Gallery, VIC, 2011
In the Cut, Goodtime Studios, VIC, 2011
Just Another Group Show, 1000 Pound Bend, VIC, 2011
Espionage Gallery Launch, Espionage Gallery, ADL, 2011
A Cut Above, Espionage Gallery, Adelaide, 2011
All Stars Exhibition, Espionage Gallery, Adelaide, 2011
Rotary Club of Ocean Groves first annual art show – Peoples Choice Award, Queenscliffe, VIC, 2011
Board, NGV Studio, Vic, 2012
Urban Art Show, Brunswick Street Gallery, VIC, 2012
…Theres More!, Cocoa Jackson Studios, VIC, 2012
Urban Creatures, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Port Melbourne, 2012
Ladie Killerz 5, HQ Gallery, Western Australia, 2012
A Cut Above II, Espionage Gallery, 2012
Art House Street and Urban Art Auction, SYD, 2012
Art House Street and Urban Art Auction, VIC, 2012
Just Another Group Show, 1000 Pound Bend, VIC, 2012
Works on paper, Just Another Project Space, VIC, 2012
Live painting @ Semi-permanent after party, Melbourne, 2012
Live body painting @ Tees halloween, 1000 Pound Bend, Melbourne, 2012
Urban Art Show 2, Brunswick Street Gallery, 2012
Australian Stencil Art Prize, Runner-Up, SYD, 2012
Rotary Club of Ocean Grove second annual art show – First & Second Prize, Queenscliffe, VIC, 2012
2nd Anniversary Group Exhibition, Espionage Gallery, Adelaide, 2013
Time and Tide – Living and surviving in the 21st Century, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, VIC, 2013
YEN Female Art Award, Runner-Up, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney, 2013
Footscray Street Art Prize, 2013
All Your Walls, Hosier Lane, 2013
After Dark, NBHD Neanderthal, South Yarra, 2013
CCP Photo Salon, Collingwood, 2013
Australian Stencil Art Prize, Runner-Up, SYD, 2013
Under One Roof – Art for the Arts Fundraiser, New York, New York, 2014
Stencil Art Prize, aMBUSH Gallery –Winner, SYD, 2014
OPEN, Darling Quarter, SYD, 2014
First Flight, City Bird Gallery, NYC, 2014
Street Art Exhibition, Benalla Art Gallery, 2015
Your Kid Can’t Do This, aMBUSH Gallery, SYD, 2015
Art Town, Melbourne, 2015
YEN Female Art Award, Runner-Up, Gaffa Gallery, SYD, 2015
12 X 12, The Stockroom, Ringwood, VIC, 2015
Joy, B-Side Gallery, 2016
Stickers and Slaps, B-Side Gallery, 2017
Emerging Artist Award – Winner, Forty Five Downstairs, 2017
Unofficial Collaboration Group Show, the Stockroom, 2017
Lethbridge Gallery Small Works prize, QLD, 2018
Intermission, Collingwood Artists Precinct, 2018
A1 Art Salon, Bundoora Homestead, 2018
Unofficial Collaboration show, Stockroom, 2018
Linden Postcard Show, Linden Galley, VIC, 2018
12 x 12 Stockroom Gallery, 2018
90 Years of Mickey Mouse, Melbourne Central, VIC, 2018
Roi Art Prize, Fitzroy, VIC, 2018
Lethbridge Gallery Small Works prize, QLD, 2019
International Womens Day Group Show, VIC, 2019
Southern Bouy Studios Portrait Prize, Mornington, VIC, 2019
Trouble Makers 2, VS’s Gallery, Richmond, 2019
Cant do tomorrow, Kensington, VIC, 2020
‘MONA’ Honey Bones Gallery, Collingwood, VIC, 2020
’Here I am’ aMBUSH Gallery, Kambri at ANU, ACT, 2020
‘Unity’ B-Side Gallery, Fitzroy, 2021
Locker Room Talk, No Vacancy Gallery, VIC, 2022
Collective, Honey Bones Gallery, 2024
No Vacancy Annual, No Vacancy Gallery, 2024
Linden Postcard Show, Linden Galley, VIC, 2024
Midsumma & Aus Post Art Award, No Vacancy, VIC, 2025
In Full Bloom, Our Neon Foe, Sydney, 2025
A1 Art Salon, Bundoora Homestead, 2025
Charity Exhibitions
Online charity through 696 Gallery, Brunswick, 2008
MelBurners for Burna, Melbourne, 2008
Drink or Swim fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis, Collingwood, 2011
Get Trucked, fundraiser for Cancer Foundation, 2009, 2010, 2011
Expo for Mattia, Naples, Italy, 2011
Project 5 Volume 6, SYD, 2014
Peterson Project (Royal Children’s Hospital), Collingwood, 2015
Art Of The Mill, Woodend, Victoria, 2016
The Art of Banksy, Federation Square, 2016
Bring A Plate, The Stockroom, 2016
‘For Syrias Children’ Besser Space, 2017
Morning Star Documentary Fundraiser, 2019
Street Art Bushfire Appeal, Leonard Joel, 2020
Bush fire fundraiser, Stockroom gallery, 2020
Mural Festivals
‘Wall to Wall Festival’, Benalla, VIC, 2015
‘Wall to Wall Festival’, Benalla, VIC, 2016
Big Picture Festival, Frankston, VIC, 2022
Brisbane Street Art Festival, QLD, 2022
Urban Canvas Festival, Bayside, VIC, 2023
Commissions
Range Rover- Evoque car launch party, 2011
Noisy Beast, corporate mural wall, Melbourne, 2012
“Frosties”, Traffic Signal Box Project, City of Yarra, 2013
Wood & Grieve Engineers Office Mural, Melbourne, 2014
Community Murals for QIC, Eastland, VIC, 2016
McCauly Womens Centre, Footscray, 2016
Vibrant Laneways, Brisbane City Council, 2017
WPI facade mural Upfield line trackside, 2017
Built. Melbourne Skyline mural, Southbank, VIC, 2018
Kingsville Flowerbar, 186 Somerville Road, Kingsbury, VIC, 2018
Wall of Music, Yarra City Council, Richmond, VIC, 2018
Native Flora, NJC, Collingwood, VIC, 2019
Poster Collage on structural column, Melbourne Central, 2019
Albert Camus (private commission), Elwood, 2020
Fairfield Pattern work, Fairfield, 2021
Crevelli St Mural, Darebin City council, 2021
Wattles, Rae St (private commission), Fitzroy, 2021
Flora mural, Epworth Rehabilitation Centre, Camberwell, 2021
20 minute neighborhood project, Maroondah Council, Croydon South, 2021
East Melbourne General Store (private commission), 2022
”Together” Logo design for Pride Cup, 2023
Neighbourhood Battery Project, Tarniet, VIC, 2023
Banksia Reserve, Baumaris, VIC, Bayside City Council, 2023
Mullum Mullum Stadium, Donvale, VIC, Manningham Council, 2024
Renuwall, Coburg, VIC, Merri-Bek Council, 2025
Stockists
696 Gallery, Brunswick, 2008 – 2010
Art Boy Gallery, Prahran, 2012 – 2017
Signed and Numbered, Prahran/Melbourne, 2013 – 2020
Mixed Business Store, Melbourne CBD, 2022 - 2023
The Stockroom, Victoria 2015 – 2024
Residencys
Artshole Studio, Elsternwick, 2013 – 2015
“Board” 3 day artist workshop, NGV Studio, Vic, 2012
Melbourne Grammar School, 2021
Reviews/Articles/Features
InVurt online blog interview, 2011
Daily Telegraph, Sydney, 2010
Time Out Magazine, Sydney, 2010
Melbourne Weekly Magazine, Bayside, 2010
3D World Magazine, 2010
BRAG Magazine 2009
Avant Card post card art release of ‘Tiger’, 2013
Melbourne Mx Newspaper, 2008
Herald Sun Newspaper, November, 2011
Three Magazine, Worldwide iPad only Street Press, December Issue, 2011
Art Series Hotels Outpost Project video interview; http://vimeo.com/32940825 2011
Cherrie Magazine Street Press, January, 2012
Gallery Magazine, National Gallery of Victoria, Jan/Feb, 2012
Capital Vices, Blog, June 2012; http://capitalvices.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/espionage-cut-above-ii.html
Avant Card post card art release of ‘Elephant Vanishes’, 2013
Nothing to Nobody Magazine, Issue 11, January – March, 2013
Melbourne Review, 2017
Pink Advocate, 2020
Books
Rah Collective book 1- double spread feature, 2011
Just Another Book- double spread feature, 2011
Just Another Book II- double spread feature, 2012
Rah Collective book 3- double spread feature, 2013
Street Art Australia By Lou Chamberlin, 2015
Burn City By Lou Chamberlin, 2017
Cut: 10 years of the Stencil art Prize, 2019