Richard Lewer

Richard Lewer’s works get to the heart of what it means to be human, often focusing on our fears or frailties with his confessional tone and dark, wry humour. Richard describes himself as a social realist, but ultimately, he is a storyteller; using tales from his New Zealand childhood and his upbringing as a Catholic to reflect on the issues that connect us all. His work often combines imagery with diaristic text that reveals the shameful or surprising things that we would normally keep to ourselves. Lewer held his first survey exhibition in 2009 and in 2025 was the subject of two major surveys, at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra and Geelong Art Gallery, in regional Victoria. His work is represented in most Australian public collections, as well as New Zealand’s Auckland Art Galley Toi O Tāmaki and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, among others. Richard is represented by Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide and Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane.

GETTING TO KNOW RICHARD LEWER

FAVOURITE HISTORIC ARTIST: Goya

FAVOURITE CONTEMPORARY ARTIST: Philip Guston and Colin McCahon

FAVOURITE CITY: Adelaide

LIFE-CHANGING CAREER MOMENT: Winning the Basil Sellers Art Prize in 2016, which enabled me to build my studio.

STUDIO SOUNDTRACK: Right this minute, Dire Straits.

FAVOURITE ART MUSEUM: The Courtauld.

PETS: Rescue cats Buddy and Teddy.

IF I WASN’T AN ARTIST…: I would be a murder detective or serial murderer living in Adelaide.