Hugh Kerr

Bio

Hugh Kerr is a British Born artist based in Hobart.  Kerr has been painting and drawing for 20 years and his influences are drawn from a lifetime of varied experience travelling widely working in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Kerr’s chief artistic themes are the mechanics of human society and our collective impact on the environment, which he explores using allegories and subconscious imagery.

Kerr is primarily self-taught and has sought to develop his skills through stylistic and thematic experimentation. Individual and group tuition in oil painting received since moving to Hobart has also allowed him to develop his technical skill.

Since 2014, Kerr put his artistic practice on a more serious footing with four solo exhibitions; most recently at the Salamanca Arts Centre in May 2018. In 2017 and 2018, he took 12 months to focus primarily on painting. Recently Kerr’s work has been shortlisted for the Emerging Artist Award, 45 Downstairs, Flinders Lane, Melbourne, June ’19 and the Contemporary Art Award, Brisbane, ’18.

Education

Various classes: life drawing, drawing and painting techniques 1998-2017

Citylit College (Covent Garden) Fine Art Course 2009-10

Private tuition oil painting techniques 2011-17

History

Hugh Kerr is a Hobart based artist, originally from the UK. Before settling in Hobart, Australia in 2010 he travelled extensively in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Hugh’s art practice mainly involves oil painting and pen and ink drawing, is cerebral, politically aware and surreal. His themes include science and technology, nature and the environment, working life, politics, and the mechanics of human society.

He has had a number of solo exhibitions in Tasmania from 2014 to the present as well as in group shows elsewhere in Australia and the UK. He has been shortlisted for the 2024 North Sydney Art Prize, 2023 Henry Jones Art Prize, and 2019 45 Downstairs Emerging Art Prize.

Exhibitions

• Solo Exibition, Salamanca Arts Centre Hobart April 2020
• Solo exhibition – Lizzie and Lefroy Restaurant North Hobart, Tasmania July’20
• Group Show ‘Art in Isolation’, Stanley Street Gallery, Sydney, August ‘20
• Group show, ‘Season of Giving’, Stanley Street Gallery, Sydney, December’19.
• Solo show ‘Corporate Bodies’ at Penny Contemporary Gallery, Hobart, December’18
• Solo show at the Republic Bar Hobart June to July ‘18
• Solo show, ‘Further notes of discord’, Salamanca Arts Centre Hobart, May ‘18.
• ‘Pulling the strings’, part of the Feb ’18 programme at Sawtooth ARI, Launceston
• ‘Notes of discord’ solo pop-up exhibition Hobart, March ‘17
• ‘Progression’ Solo Exhibition at Because Gallery, April ‘15
• Chemistry Set! Solo show Nolan Gallery, Hobart, September ‘14
• End of Course Show, City Lit Fine Art Course Year 2, Jul ’10
• Structure’, group show at the Knapp Gallery, London with artgallery.co.uk, Mar ’09  
• Artmix Open House Exhibition, Heddingley Leeds, Nov ’07
• Exhibition at head office of WS Atkins, Euston Tower, London Nov ’07
• Gallery Kaleidoscope, Kensal, Rise London. Winter exhibition. Dec ’04

Competitions

• Finalist, North Sydney Art Prize 2024
• Finalist, Henry Jones Art Competition ‘23
• Winner of round three of Underground Art Bar competition, Hobart  Apr’20
• Finalist, Emerging Artist Award, 45 Downstairs, Flinders Lane, Melbourne, June ‘19.
• Finalist, Contemporary Art Award, Brisbane, ’18
• Finalist Moreton Bay Art Prize, April ‘15
• Winner ‘Beyond Boundaries’ Nov ’04 www.artrom.com

Media

• Artist Talk Magazine issue 28 Nov 2023
• Undessed Society Magazine Front Cover
• Xin Sai Magazine Front Cover 3rd edition August 2023
• Feature – Hobart Mercury 2020
• Feature  – Hobart Mercury 2013