John Howley
Encyclopedia
John Howley is an Australia
n painter whose core work is related to the Fantastic Art genre.
and studied at the National Gallery School of Art
in Melbourne (1949–54) under Murray Griffin. In 1954 and again in 1956 he exhibited with Group Four, which established his reputation as an avant-garde artist. In 1962 he left Australia for England and spent 3 years traveling in Europe and North Africa painting and playing improvised music. From 1965 to 1967 he lived for two years in Tel Aviv
, Israel
where he had 5 exhibitions. In 1967 Howley returned to Melbourne and started to exhibit at George Mora’s Tolarno Gallery. In 1980 he established with his Israeli curator wife The Acland Street Art Gallery that continued to exhibit Howley along with several other artists until 1989. The next year he moved to Williamstown
, Melbourne dedicating himself to his painting and his involvement in improvised music. The artist now lives in countryside Victoria, Australia.
Howley painted 80 portraits and 2 commissioned murals Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne and Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
, (the latter mural with two other artists) and has exhibited in Germany, England, Israel, USA and Australia.
and the Australian Social Realism movement. Howley's formal studies and draftsmanship enabled him to explore a variety of different expressive modes. His oeuvre is characterised by a constant search for new ways to comment on contemporary civilisation – mainly the transition into a technologically controlled society. His paintings create alternative and fantastic realities.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n painter whose core work is related to the Fantastic Art genre.
Life
Howley was born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and studied at the National Gallery School of Art
National Gallery of Victoria Art School
The National Gallery of Victoria Art School , associated with the National Gallery of Victoria, was founded in 1867. It was the leading centre for academic art training in Australia until about 1910. Among its luminaries, the school was headed by John Brack from 1962-68 and Sir William Dargie was...
in Melbourne (1949–54) under Murray Griffin. In 1954 and again in 1956 he exhibited with Group Four, which established his reputation as an avant-garde artist. In 1962 he left Australia for England and spent 3 years traveling in Europe and North Africa painting and playing improvised music. From 1965 to 1967 he lived for two years in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
where he had 5 exhibitions. In 1967 Howley returned to Melbourne and started to exhibit at George Mora’s Tolarno Gallery. In 1980 he established with his Israeli curator wife The Acland Street Art Gallery that continued to exhibit Howley along with several other artists until 1989. The next year he moved to Williamstown
Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....
, Melbourne dedicating himself to his painting and his involvement in improvised music. The artist now lives in countryside Victoria, Australia.
Howley painted 80 portraits and 2 commissioned murals Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne and Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
The Royal Children's Hospital is a major children's hospital in Melbourne, Australia.As the major paediatric hospital in Victoria, the Royal Children's Hospital and offers a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and adolescents...
, (the latter mural with two other artists) and has exhibited in Germany, England, Israel, USA and Australia.
Artistic development
In his student years John Howley’s study of Renaissance masters was the first major influence in his work. Other influences from that time include German ExpressionismGerman Expressionism
German Expressionism refers to a number of related creative movements beginning in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin, during the 1920s...
and the Australian Social Realism movement. Howley's formal studies and draftsmanship enabled him to explore a variety of different expressive modes. His oeuvre is characterised by a constant search for new ways to comment on contemporary civilisation – mainly the transition into a technologically controlled society. His paintings create alternative and fantastic realities.
External links
- http://johnhowley.com
- http://www.pennyschoolgallery.com.au/ArtistHowley.htm
- http://www.moran.com.au/art/1996/howley.html
- http://www.latrobe.edu.au/bendigonews/mediareleases/2008/080827.html
- http://www.latrobe.edu.au/vacentre/assets/downloads/archive/John_Howley_archive.pdf
- http://www.brightspace.com.au/exhibitions/2009/jh/index.htm
- Short documentary produced by Bill Edmonds Productions