About

MARK HANHAM ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

 


BORN 1978
Sydney, New South Wales Australia
EDUCATION
BFA National Art School Sydney NSW Australia
MFA UNSW ART & DESIGN Sydney NSW Australia

Mark is known for his large scale, brash works and takes the viewer on a journey of discovery into his own world. A contemporary realistic action painter, he is influenced and inspired by American modernist painter Jackson Pollock's dripping of paint, Picasso's linear soft forms and his love for travel.

Mark often visually narrates daily life allowing the collector to be immediately transported to those international grand cities when connecting with his work. Mark is especially known for his large-scale streetscapes and iconic well known city overviews.

Mark Hanham's celebrity collectors include Russell Crowe, Lionel Richie, co-CEO Atlassian Corp PLC Scott Farquar & wife Kim Jackson, Australian cricket player & former captain Shane Watson and celebrity wife Lee Watson, GFC's Mark Scholem and partner John Bradshaw plus many corporate and large private collectors worldwide.

Hanham's universal themes appeal to seasoned art connoisseurs as well as the enthusiastic nostalgic traveler.

His bold expressive landscapes of iconic urban centres – Sydney, London, Paris, NYC, Venice, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Melbourne - are unique. Hanham's point of difference is scale and energy but all counterpoised with romanticism and a commentary on the human condition.

Recently he has created a series of paintings of the iconic Australian Bushranger Ned Kelly and his gang, who have amassed a large cult following over the years.


ARTIST STATEMENT
"My use of abstract line and form brings quite a range of problems to be solved. A series of imaginative developments involving colour, texture and more lines are added to my works until I am satisfied that I have captured a moment in time.

I have tried to take a more literal approach to abstract expressionism since completing my Masters Degree in 2004 through a more figurative way of working, so that you can see what the image is without seeing it all. This allows the viewer to imbue their individual sense into the work. It invites them to get involved.

A lot of my work is about cityscapes, it's about the chaos, the rush, the vibrant energy of the city, juxtaposed against the alienation that occurs with urban living." Mark Hanham


PRIZES & PUBLIC INSTALLATIONS
2022 - 2026 One Circular Quay is the LendLease + Mitsubishi Estate Asia development in partnership with the City of Sydney's 'Create' hoardings initiative, a 1200 metre long hoarding made up of oversized reimaginings of Mark Hanham's Sydney series

2007 Kings Cross Art Competition,The Tap Gallery, Darlinghurst Sydney

2005 Finalist " Paddington Art Prize" Marlene Antico Fine Arts - People Choice Award Sydney

2003 Finalist Sulman Art Prize, Art Gallery of NSW Sydney Kings Cross Art Competition, The Tap Gallery Winner People's Choice Award Sydney

2002 Lloyd Rees Memorial Art Award, Lane Cove Sydney Kings Cross Art Competition, The Tap Gallery Winner People's Choice Award Sydney

2000 Bondi Art Prize, The Pavilion Bondi Beach Winner People's Choice Award Sydney

mark hanham pollock drip painter
Mark Hanham