Liam Barr b. 1966
Liam Barr was born in Scotland in 1966 and immigrated to New Zealand with his family in 1974. Following a period of travel overseas, Barr settled in Perth W.A. where he trained and worked as graphic designer. Barr returned to New Zealand in 2004 to further develop his artistic career.
A recurring theme in Barr's work is the idea of symbolism reflecting an aura of pathos, displacement, and insight into contemporary New Zealand life. Barr's finely honed skills convey his concerns with delicacy and perception aspects of the human condition. With a breath of irony his works delve into more serious concerns.
Art Historian Michael Dunn writes; "Barr comes across as a genuine conservationist with a real concern for New Zealand's flora and fauna. But his manner of conveying his concerns is far from dry and proselytising. It is engaging and provocative and allows the viewer to get involved through his wit and striking juxtapositions of subject-matter".
He goes on to describe Barr's current work; "Liam Barr has always had affiliations with Surrealism and now works in a comparable time of political and social upheaval. Barr's imagery is independent of the rational and the literal in its search for feelings and meanings beyond everyday experience. His painting is a vehicle for reflecting upon the issues that now confront society world-wide."
Barr's exhibition 'Out of Kilter' 2022 reflects a Covid-19 world embedded with ideas of turmoil and confusion. Barr considers the work carefully and it demands reflection, not just a quick look. There is no clear narrative, no one meaning. He seems to capture a glimpse of the uncertainty in our society still riddled with confusion and fear. For both young and old these are parlous times and the new paintings shown in 'Out of Kilter' capture the psychological stress of the situation.
Barr's paintings have been shown in public exhibitions - 'Tears For Tane's Children' at the Whangarei Art Museum and 'Mind Games, An Exhibition of Surrealism in Aotearoa' at Hastings City Art Gallery.
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Aotearoa Art Fair 2023
STAND A5 2 - 5 March 2023ARTIS Gallery returned Aotearoa Art Fair on Thursday 2 - Sunday 5 March at The Cloud on Tāmaki Makaurau Queens Wharf. Located at Booth A5 the Gallery featured two distinct instalments over the course of the Fair. During the opening two days, we exhibited new works from Liam Barr, Nigel Brown, John Edgar, Fatu Feu'u, Hamish Foote, Andy Leleisi'uao, Peter Panyoczki, Ann Robinson, and Terry Stringer.Read more -
Liam Barr
Out of Kilter 10 - 29 May 2022At the time of making, I often feel separate from the work, trusting and allowing the process to unfold, not always knowing exactly what is being said, but once complete and on reflection, a narrative reveals itself. To me, this is the creative process at its best.Read more
‘Out of Kilter’ is a body of work which reflect what Covid ‘19 threw us into. There is a feeling of unsettled turmoil and intersecting ideas which formulate a collection of works as opposed to a series of similar themed works. While we couldn’t be in a more grounded country to endure such a pandemic, nevertheless, we weren’t quite sure what the future would hold. This imbalance pushed and pulled the work yet somehow managed to symbolize an image set depicting personal reflection, historical meanderings and a subtle reminder that those we hold dear are everything.
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Liam Barr
Still Lives 25 August - 14 September 2020'Still-life painting is a curious discipline of observation combined with technical capability. The genre harks back to the middle ages and draws our attention to everyday objects we might find...Read more -
Liam Barr
Tethered 4 - 24 September 2018“I have always been drawn to the horse, perhaps it is because I was born in the year of the horse or perhaps it is their sheer magnificence. This beast...Read more
