Karen Black

September 03 2018 , by Penelope Benton

Karen Black’s painting practice explores time and space within global social, economic and political situations.

Karen Black is interested in architecture, culture and history. Her work tells the human stories within these environments, blending the historical with the mythical and traversing the complex interchange between the personal and the political.

Black is currently showing in The Waves curated by Kate Brittan at Sullivan+ Strumpf until 15 September 2018. Her work will also be shown at Sydney Contemporary with Sullivan+Strumpf, Booth E18, 13 – 16 September 2018.

Recent solo exhibitions include Not Hours Minutes, Sullivan+Strumpf Sydney (2018); An Ordinary Poetry, Sullivan+Strumpf, Singapore (2017); Temporary Arrangements, Sutton Gallery, Melbourne (2017); Making Do, Sydney Contemporary (2015); and Piece of Wood, Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney (2015). Black has exhibited widely in international exhibitions and art fairs including ARTHK12, Hong Kong (2012); Art Fair Tokyo (2012); Art Stage Singapore (2011); and Art Taipei (2011), and was named as a Global Spotlight Artist at Art Taipei that year. Recent group exhibitions include Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award, Shepparton Art Museum (2017); Spring 1883, Sutton Gallery, The Establishment Hotel, Sydney (2017); Shut up and Paint, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (2016); Painting. More Painting, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne (2016); Borders, Barriers, Walls, Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne (2016); The Gold Award, Rockhampton Art Gallery, Queensland (2016); and Glazed and confused, Ceramics in Contemporary Art Practice, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Gymea (2015).

Black has been the recipient of a number of awards. In 2018 and 2017 she was a finalist in the prestigious Sir John Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, as well as presenting a solo installation of ceramics for the Sidney Myer Australian Ceramic Award at The Shepparton Art Museum in Victoria (2017). Black was also the recipient of an Artspace One Year Studio in Sydney in 2017. Black’s work is included in numerous public collections including The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; The Australian War Memorial, Canberra; Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne; the Griffith University Art Gallery, Brisbane; Queensland University of Technology Art Museum, Brisbane; Artbank, Sydney; the Macquarie Group Collection; and the Salsali Private Museum, Dubai.

She was the recipient of an Artspace one year Sydney Studio Residency in 2017. Black’s inclusion in recent exhibitions of note include Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award, Shepparton Art Museum, 2017, Shut up and Paint, NGV International, Melbourne 2016-17, Borders, Barriers, Walls, Monash University Museum of Art 2016 and Painting, More Painting, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne 2016.

Black completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at Griffith University in 2011.

In this video, Black chats to NAVA about the importance of ongoing learning and development, and the impact of showing in local and international art fairs.