Liam Barr (b. 1966) is a contemporary figurative painter whose practice explores the relationship between humanity and the environment. Working primarily in oil, he employs a refined, multi-layered technique paired with engaging and often unconventional subject matter. Frequently imbued with both humour and pathos, his narrative driven compositions blend realism and surrealism to examine themes of identity, belonging and the human condition.
Born in Scotland, Barr emigrated to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1974 and later settled in Australia, where he trained as a graphic designer at Perth Metropolitan College of Art and Design in the 1990s. He returned to New Zealand in 2004 to further develop his artistic practice.
Barr has exhibited extensively in New Zealand and also internationally. Notable public gallery exhibitions include Scape (Whakatāne Art Museum, 2014), Mind Games: An Exhibition of Surrealism in Aotearoa (Hastings City Art Gallery, 2009), and Tears for Tāne’s Children (Whangārei Art Museum, 2007). In 2020, a retrospective of his work was presented by the Urban Art Foundation and exhibited nationally via digital billboards, later forming part of the International Urban Art Exchange in Finland.
His work is held in private collections including the Stevenson Collection and New Zealand Defence Force. Commissioned portraits include Dame Suzie Moncrieff (2014) for the World of Wearable Art Awards and a Korean War Armistice commemorative portrait for New Zealand Defence & Veteran Services (2014).
Recent work continues to expand on environmental and social themes, as seen in Overflow (Webb’s Wellington, 2023), which reflects on humanity’s relationship with a changing climate and post-COVID disorientation.
Barr lives and works in Melbourne, Australia.
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)
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.
