Richard Lewer
‘My influences are the people that I meet, whether it’s an exorcist priest, or a criminal or a fortune teller or an Aboriginal elder. It really is those interactions with those people that give me the desire to make the work.’
Hamilton-born artist Richard Lewer works and lives in Melbourne, Australia. In 1992 Richard earned his Bachelor of Fine Art from Elam School of Fine Art, Auckland University, and in 2000, his Master of Visual Arts from Victoria College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. Among the few trans-Tasman artists with a significant practice in New Zealand as well as Australia, Richard exhibits regularly, has taken up residencies and received numerous awards in both countries.
Working across a range of mediums, his art explores the intimate, though at times uncomfortable, terrain of his own personal history, as well as the history of his adopted country Australia. His works speak to what is familiar and relatable about human connection and experience, resonating in their portrayal of family, friends, sport mates, childhood scenes and recent family developments.
At once simplified and stylised, figures and settings convey their own narratives with compassion and humour that are distinctly his own. Lewer describes himself as a social realist - though with a contemporary idiolect - and explores the idiosyncratic, marginal tales of unlikely real-life. His stripped-back, candid depictions lay bare, without artifice, what is beautiful and sinister about society, without the hindrance of a moralising or politicising tone.
Richard is the recipient of many awards and prizes. Most recently, he was selected among nine artists commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales to create a major new work for the art museum campus. This will be the largest commissioning program since the public institution opened 150 years ago.
Quotation from Victoria Hynes' Artist Review.
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Richard Lewer | What They Didn't Teach Me At School | The Waikato Wars
New Zealand Portrait Gallery | Wellington Te Whanganui a Tara 22 Feb - 12 May 2024'I grew up in Hamilton, in the Waikato, but I had no idea about its history, no idea. I knew absolutely nothing and it’s embarrassing, it’s shameful'. 'As an artist,...Read more -
Spring1883 Art Fair | Melbourne
The Hotel Windsor 9 - 12 Aug 2023For Spring 1883, Melbourne, {Suite} presents work by artists Ans Westra, Wayne Youle and Richard Lewer. Richard Lewer presents five new paintings on brass and copper alongside three mirror self-portraits...Read more -
Jeffrey Harris | Jaimee Peters | Richard Lewer
{Suite} Ponsonby 1 - 17 Mar 2023The current exhibition in Ponsonby showcases the works of three of the gallery artists, Jaimee Peters, Jeffrey Harris and Richard Lewer. The paintings on show by Jaimee Peters were created...Read more -
{Suite} Aotearoa Art Fair 2022 | Stand C9
The Cloud, Auckland 16 - 20 Nov 2022{Suite} is pleased to present a selection of work by artists Wayne Youle, Richard Lewer, Tia Ansell, Georgia Spain, Daniel Unverricht, Angela Singer and Bruce Connew at the 2022 Aotearoa Art Fair. Stand C9: 16 Nov - 20 Nov, The Cloud, Auckland.Read more -
Richard Lewer | Misadventures
{Suite} Wellington 20 Sep - 1 Oct 2022Misadventures is an ongoing series of drawings revisiting some of New Zealand's grimmer news stories and moments in history. The majority of the pen drawings were made at the...Read more -
Richard Lewer | You don’t have to wake up fighting every day
{Suite} Ponsonby 10 Nov - 4 Dec 2021Describing himself as a social realist, Richard Lewer’s art can often be seen navigating the complexities and idiosyncrasies of society - its moors, culture, and its people. Interwoven with socio-political...Read more -
Richard Lewer | Dirty Cheating Dogs
{Suite} Wellington 9 Jun - 3 Jul 2021Dirty Cheating Dogs is a suite of twelve lithographs by Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer, depicting prominent examples of cheating in sports, from cricket to boxing, cycling, swimming and yachting. The...Read more -
Richard Lewer | Imagined Holidays
{Suite} Wellington 25 Nov - 5 Dec 2020 -
Richard Lewer | You were always on my mind
{Suite} Ponsonby 30 Apr - 24 May 2020 -
Richard Lewer & Daniel Unverricht | Auckland Art Fair
Tāmaki Makaurau 1 - 5 May 2019 -
Richard Lewer | There is light and dark in us all
{Suite} Wellington 27 Nov - 15 Dec 2018 -
Richard Lewer | Its better to burn out than to fade away
{Suite} Wellington 17 May - 9 Jun 2018 -
Richard Lewer | Richards Disasters
{Suite} Wellington 2 - 19 Aug 2017 -
Richard Lewer | Sandpaper works
{Suite} Wellington 1 Dec 2016 - 20 Jan 2017
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Richard Lewer
Finalist for 2023 Sulman Prize April 28, 2023Congratulations {Suite} artist Richard Lewer for being selected as a finalist for the 2023 Sulman Prize for his work ‘Richard’s Medical Disasters’ The artist described...Read more -
Richard Lewer
Museum of Sydney 'Just Not Australian' March 22, 2023Richard Lewer, ‘No matter how hard I try I can’t escape my past’, 2019 - on show at Museum of Sydney as part of the...Read more -
Highlights of the Aotearoa Art Fair
by John Daly-Peoples November 14, 2022{Suite} artists Richard Lewer and Tia Ansell as well as Melbourne-based artist Georgia Spain featured in John Daly-Peoples article 'Highlights of the Aotearoa Art Fair'....Read more -
Richard Lewer
Never Shall Be Forgotten - A Mother's Story December 7, 2021Richard Lewer's 2017 hand drawn animation 'Never Shall Be Forgotten - A Mother's Story' is now on show at Maitland Regional Art Gallery as part...Read more -
Richard Lewer
Art Guide Australia September 3, 2021Richard Lewer featuring in Art Guide Australia. 'As an artist living and working in Melbourne, Richard Lewer is a lockdown veteran. He has had more...Read more -
Richard Lewer
Australian War Memorial July 6, 2021A selection of war dioramas by Richard Lewer will be included in the ‘Art in Conflict’ touring survey exhibition of contemporary art from the collection...Read more -
Richard Lewer
Winner of 2020 Paul Guest Prize December 5, 2020Congratulations to Richard Lewer who has been announced as the winner of the Paul Guest Prize for his drawing '2020'. The Paul Guest Prize is...Read more -
Richard Lewer
New Zealand Disasters 2020 | Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki February 16, 2020{Suite} Gallery is delighted to announce that Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki have acquired two major artworks by Richard Lewer for their permanent collection....Read more -
Richard Lewer
Art New Zealand May 10, 2018Richard Lewer featured in the latest issue of Art New Zealand. Richard Lewer's recent show at {Suite} sums up perfectly the way feelings are often...Read more -
Richard Lewer
Archibald Prize 2017 Finalist July 29, 2017Congratulations to Richard Lewer , finalist in the Archibald Prize 2017 Elizabeth Laverty and her late husband Colin were among the first art collectors to...Read more