Liam Barr, born in Scotland in 1966 immigrated to Aotearoa in 1974. Barr’s artistic path took shape after settling in Fremantle, W.A. during the early 90’s. In 2001 he closed his Perth based design practice to focus solely on his fine art. In 2004, he returned to Aotearoa, accompanied by his wife and daughter, to further nurture his practice and voice within a NZ landscape.
The 2010’s marked a significant period of evolution for Barr's artistic style and thematic focus. During this time, he began to delve deeper into New Zealand's cultural and historical narratives, exploring and questioning his place as a Pākeha. His works from this period often depicted surreal and fantastical scenes, inviting viewers to ponder the complexities of identity and belonging.
In recent years, Barr has continued to expand his artistic horizons, exploring various themes while maintaining his signature narrative style. His later works reflect a matured perspective with a stronger emphasis toward environmental and social issues. These works are celebrated for their emotional depth and the nuanced portrayal of his subjects. A prominent example is Barr’s 10th solo show, Overflow (2023 Webb’s Wellington), which delves into the pressing environmental challenges facing us all. These paintings characterise humanities struggle to 'be' on the land and how we negotiate these evolving environmental impacts both socially and ecologically. These works are imbued with meaning, have a strong sense of place and invite a discourse on a climate-changed world combined with post-Covid disorientation.
Barr has contributed to numerous national and international group shows and has work in various collections, including The Stevenson Collection. Public exhibitions include; Scape, Whakatāne Art Museum (2014), Mind Games - An Exhibition of Surrealism in Aotearoa, Hastings City Art Gallery (2009). Tears For Tāne's Children, Whangārei Art Museum (2007). Portrait commissions include the World of Wearable Art winning entry - Dame Suzie Moncrieff (2014). Korean War Armistice Commemoration Portrait, NZ Defence & Veteran Services (2014), and personal portrait of New Zealand art critic and historian, Michael Dunn (2019). The Urban Art Foundation (2020) had a retrospective of Barr's work which was exhibited nationally via digital billboards. This retrospective collection was then part of the International Urban Art Exchange, exhibited in Finland on super large scale digital screens mounted to te side of buildings.
SOLO:
2023 - Overflow: Webb's, Wellington, NZ
2022 - Out of Kilter: Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2020 - Still Lives: Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2018 - Tethered: Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2016 - Avian: Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2014 - Lore & Behold: Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2011 - Pakeha: John Leech Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2008 - Grand-Land: Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2007 - Hei Tiki - Hi Mate: Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2003 - Adrift - Journeys To The Other Me: Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle, W.A.
GROUP:
2023 - Autumn Selection, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2023 - Auckland Art Fair, Artis Gallery Pavillion, Auckland, NZ
2022 - Auckland Art Fair, Artis Gallery Pavillion, Auckland, NZ
2018 - Auckland Art Fair, Artis Gallery Pavillion, Auckland, NZ
2017 - Our People Our Land, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2017 - Identification, The Vivian, Matakana, NZ
2017 - Winter Selection, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2016 - Summer Selection, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2016 - Imago Mundi Benetton World Art Collection, Treviso, Italy
2016 - Grand Opening, Matthew Namour Gallery, Montreal, Canada
2016 - Winter Show, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2016 - Auckland Art Fair, Artis Gallery Pavillion, Auckland, NZ
2015 - Xmas Exhibition, PG Gallery 192, Christchurch, NZ
2015 - Winter Exhibition, Jonathan Grant Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2014 - Égrégore, The Zenith of Pop Surrealism, Yves Laroche Galerie D'art, Montréal, Canada
2014 - Our People Our Land, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2014 - Spring Thing, Chambers 241 Gallery, Chch, NZ
2014 - Easter Show, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2013 - Auckland Art Fair, Artis Gallery Pavillion, Auckland, NZ
2012 - Xmas Show, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2012 - BNZ Industry Show, via Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2012 - Arthouse, Ronald MacDonald House Collection initiative, NZAFA, Wellington, NZ
2012 - Women - NZAFA, Wellington, NZ
2010 - Capturing the Colony, Little River Gallery, Banks Peninsula, NZ
2010 - 20 N.Z. Artists, Williams Gallery, Petone, NZ
2009 - Christmas Show, Williams Gallery, Petone, NZ
2009 - Christmas Show, Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
2009 - Here they come, there they go, here we are. Little River Gallery, Banks Peninsula, NZ
2009 - Auckland Art Fair, Warwick Henderson Gallery Pavillion, Auckland, NZ
2009 - Autumn Catalogue,Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland,NZ
2009 - Real and Unreal - An Exhibition of NZ Surrealists, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2008 - Summer Catalogue, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2007 - Tears for Tane’s Children, Whangarei Art Museum, Whangarei, NZ
2007 - Affordable Art Show, Wellington, NZ
2006 - Winter Group Show, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2006 - Emerge Gallery, Wellington, NZ
2006 - Affordable Art Show, Wellington, NZ
2005 - Banks Peninsula Art Auction, Lyttelton, NZ
2005 - Allegory Art Galley, Christchurch, NZ
2004 - Le Strange Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
2004 - Fishers Fine Arts, Christchurch, NZ
1992 - Lyttelton Council Chambers, Lyttelton, NZ.
EDITIONS:
2022 - Multifarious - Little River Gallery, Banks Peninsula, NZ
2019 - Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ
2018 - Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2018 - The Poi Room, Auckland, NZ
2018 - Boyd Dunlop Gallery, Napier, NZ
2015 - Orion Powerhouse Gallery, Akaroa, NZ
2011 - Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2010 - John Leech Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2010 - Salamander Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
2009 - Little River Gallery, Banks Peninsula, NZ
2009 - Gallery De Novo, Dunedin, NZ
2009 - Williams Gallery, Petone, NZ
2008 - Kapa Gallery, Queenstown, NZ
2008 - Eyeball Kicks, Wellington, NZ
2007 - Moko Gallery, Hot water Beach, Whitianga, NZ
2007 - Kura Gallery, Taupo, NZ
2007 - Ora Gallery, Wellington, NZ
2007 - Tamarillo Gallery, Wellington, NZ
2007 - Maori Art Auction, Shona McFarlane Gallery, Dunedin, NZ
2006 - Emerge Gallery, Wellington, NZ
PUBLIC:
2020 - International Urban Art Exchange (Digital), Nationwide, NZ/Turku, Finland
2020 - 'Retrospective' Urban Art Foundation (Digital), Wellington wide, NZ
2018 - 'KM130' NZ Portrait Gallery, Wellington, NZ
2014 - 'Scape' Whakatane Art Museum, Te Koputu a te whanga a Toi, NZ
2009 - 'Mind Games, An Exhibition of Surrealism in Aotearoa' Hastings City Art Gallery, NZ
2007 - 'Tears For Tane’s Children', Whangarei Art Museum, Whangarei, NZ
COMMISSIONS:
2019 - Art Historian, Michael R. Dunn
2014 - NZ Defence & Veteran Services
2014 - Dame Suzie Moncrieff - (World of Wearable Arts)
COMPETITIONS/AWARDS:
2017 - Parkin Drawing Prize, Wellington. NZ -
Finalist
2015 - Wallace Art Awards, Finalist, Auckland. NZ -
Finalist
2012 - Molly Morpeth Canaday Award, Whakatane Community Arts
Council, Whakatane, NZ - Finalist
2010 - Adam Portraiture Award, NZ Portrait Gallery, Wellington,
NZ - Finalist
2008 - Waikato Painting & Printmaking Award, WSA, Hamilton,
NZ - Finalist
2007 - Wallace Art Awards, Auckland. NZ - Finalist
2005 - Martin Hughes Pacific Art Award, MHG. Auckland.
NZ
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
2021 - Submachine Magazine -2nd Ed. Article by Al Best
2019 - Art New Zealand Magazine - No.163, Article by Michael R. Dunn
2018 - Journal Magazine - Edition 3. NZ
2017 - Miroir Magazine - Legend. USA
2016 - Making Sense of a small state, Peter Cleave. Campus
Press, NZ
2016 - BloPop Magazine - Vol.2, Luciano Martinez, Spain
2015 - The Encyclopedia of Fernal Affairs, Liba W. Stambollion,
France
2015 - Eclectix - interview 58, USA
2013 - Hey Magazine #13, Ankama Editions, France
2012 - Devining the Dream, Liba W. Stambollion, France
2008 - NZ Herald 20/9/08, Raise a glass to the small things,
T.J. McNamara, NZ
2008 - Artnews - Spring 08, Excursions into Grand-Land, NZ
2007 - Auckland Herald 9/8/07, Arts editors pick of the week,
T.J. McNamara, NZ
2007 - NZ Favourite Artists 2, Denis Robinson, NZ
TUTORING:
2020 - Practical Drawing Technique, Yr2 Design, Toi Whakaari, Wellington
2019 - Practical Drawing Technique, Yr2 Design, Toi Whakaari, Wellington
2019 - 5 Day Workshop - The Magic Realism of Portraiture, CEAC - Auckland
2018 - Drawing Technique, Yr2 Design, Toi Whakaari, Wellington
2017 - 5 Day Workshop - The Magic Realism of Portraiture, CEAC - Auckland
2015 - Drawing Intensive, Yr2 Design, Toi Whakaari, Wellington
2014 - Drawing Intensive, Yr2 Design, Toi Whakaari, Wellington
TRAINING:
1992 - 1994 Diploma (dist.) Perth Metropolitan College of
Art & Design, Perth, W.A.
Major - Illustration, Computer Graphics.
