John Walsh

Customary Maori narrative has been an ongoing source of inspiration for John Walsh. In his paintings Walsh conjures up dreamscapes and vistas where ancient beings, gods and demigods weave the fabric of human existence and experience. Initially an accomplished portrait painter, Walsh’s unconventional style and subject matter has evolved over recent years as he infuses narrative paintings with whimsy and wit. Characterised by a distinctively vibrant palette of aqua and green hues, a cast of lyrical hybrid characters and a penchant for bold and expressive brushwork, Walsh has quickly garnered a reputation as a solid fixture in many public and private collections throughout the country.

Walsh’s painterly individualism is undeniable. Gestural strokes mimic the trace of his movements - wiping, sweeping and scratching the pigment across the surface of the work. At times it is frenzied or tumultuous yet always in keeping with the dynamic narrative which is being told. Although his stories may be located in the distant ‘past’ they are never fixed nor static - they remain relevant and contemporary, ever evolving. Walsh communicates this superbly through constant movement, vivid colour and imaginative storytelling.

John Walsh is of Te Aitanga a Hauiti and Irish descent. While he attended Ilam in Canterbury during 1973-74, he remains predominately a self-taught artist. He lives and works in Wellington and has completed a number of public commissions which include a foyer painting for the Wellington City Council in 2004 as well as participation in the Pathfinder International Mural project in New York City in 1989. His work is held in various public and private collections including the James Wallace Collection, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, the Sargeant Gallery Collection and the Jean Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre Collection in Noumea, New Caledonia.