Woman viewing Brent Harris, Transfiguration 3 (detail), 2023, oil on linen, Courtesy of the artist and Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington. Photograph by Sam Millen
Peculiar characters, ghostly shadows, and snow-capped mountains inhabit the world of Brent Harris. These works tell the story of a young man in the 1970s who, at just 22, separated from his wife, came out, and left Papaioea – Palmerston North in a brave act of self-discovery.
Exploring Harris’ practice from the perspective of home, the exhibition plays gently on the saying ‘to hell and back again’, which refers to the idea of surviving pain and hardship. Themes like his fraught relationship with his parents and apprehension about mortality, contrast with the serene North Island landscape, and the work of artists who nurtured him here, at his local art gallery, in regional Aotearoa.
Today, Harris lives in Melbourne and is one of Australia’s most well-known artists. Home and Back Again is a pathway for him to return and share the experiences that gave him courage to find beauty within discomfort—showing us how art can truly instigate change in our lives.
This exhibition is supported by Creative New Zealand.