Brent Harris

Brent Harris is renowned for his evocative visuals, frequently infused with a palpable emotional depth. His extensive artistic portfolio encompasses paintings, prints, and drawings that delve into overarching themes like longing, sensuality, familial bonds, mortality, identity, and the ethereal.

Brent Harris' artworks, whether paintings or works on paper, are defined by their striking use of planes, frequently employing contrasting black and white tones, accompanied by sweeping organic movements and expressive, expressionist forms.

Biography of Brent Harris

Brent Harris was born in 1956 in Palmerston North, New Zealand, and now lives and works in Melbourne, Australia. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Victorian College of Arts in Melbourne in 1984.

Since 1985, Brent Harris has prominently showcased his art in various exhibitions across Australia. Notably, his artistic contributions were featured in the exhibitions 'Orifice' at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and 'Field Work: Australian Contemporary Art 1968-2002' at the National Gallery of Victoria.

Harris garnered recognition in 1989 through "The Stations," a collection of minimalist, geometric paintings coupled with corresponding aquatints. This series explored the concept of the Stations of the Cross.

Following the success of the exhibition, he embarked on his inaugural journey abroad to the United States in 1989-90. During this significant trip, he undertook a pilgrimage to Newman's rendition of 'Stations of the Cross' housed in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.

During 1993-1994, he secured a studio residency in Paris at the Cité Internationale des Arts, a privilege supported by the Australia Council and Sydney's Power Institute. Upon his reentry into Melbourne, a notable transformation unfolded within his artistic trajectory. A departure from geometric abstraction emerged as a whimsical figurative facet found its way into his creations. Curved lines, organic forms, and bold flat hues subsequently took center stage, signifying a pivotal evolution in his oeuvre.

From 1999 onward, he has maintained a consistent presence in exhibitions hosted by Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, and has been a regular exhibitor at Kaliman Gallery, Sydney, since 2001.

In 1999, Harris embarked on a residency in Japan, immersing himself in the traditional Japanese method of crafting woodblock prints. By 2002, he gave rise to "Grotesquerie," a significant ensemble of woodcuts commissioned by John McBride. In 2004, his creative journey led him to the Singapore Tyler Print Institute, where he crafted a collection of paper pulp prints.

2006 marked pivotal milestones for Harris, as he was honored with mid-career retrospectives held in both Melbourne and Perth, a testament to his artistic journey and accomplishments.

Brent Harris's Art Style

Brent Harris's imagery takes shape through a fusion of printmaking, drawing, and painting, seamlessly weaving together compositional elements. In recent years, the focal point of his printmaking endeavors has been monotype, a technique that has taken center stage. Within his studio, Brent Harris maintains a compact press, affording him the liberty to create prints that are integral to his artistic journey. This autonomy plays a pivotal role in nurturing the evolution of his imagery.

"The reassembled self" - 2011, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney

This collection comprises 30 petite paintings. The imagery originates from the artistic process itself, ingrained within the hues and shades of color. The title, 'The Reassembled Self,' draws inspiration from Brent Harris' interpretation of Heinz Kohut's psychological work, 'The Restoration of the Self.' The core idea revolves around the perpetual act of self-reconstruction, an ongoing endeavor.

"Brent Harris: The Other Side" - 2016, A Backroom Project at Tolarno Galleries

In Tolarno Galleries' 'The Other Side,' Brent Harris presents a compact collection of paintings that expand upon and evolve from a figurative motif initially introduced in his artwork titled 'The Other Side,' completed in early 2015. This distinctive motif, a diminutive standing figure with arms outstretched, originated from a subtle smudge of arched pink paint. Over time, it has metamorphosed into a recurring observer within Brent Harris' recent creations.

Harris' artistic realm defies conventional laws of perspective, with spatial arrangements transcending logical boundaries. Similarly, the dimensions of forms and figurative elements, along with their interrelationships, liberally eschew rationality. In Harris' compositions, the presence of absurdity often serves as a catalyst, guiding the artistic process.