Julia Holden

Working continuously within the portraiture genre, Holden centres her production upon outcomes that emphasise community connection and a wider social engagement. Arriving in Christchurch post-earthquake, recent projects have included the nationally travelling 5 billboard and postcard exhibition #WishYouWereHereChch, concluding with a 50-portrait, 150 painting and stop-motion video installation its like now (2014), Through the Glass Ceiling (2015), and I’m Your Fan (2016). During 2016 Julia also recreated Olympia, The Lyttelton Venus and Leo, as live performance painting pieces.

Lyttelton Redux (2016-17) reimagined locals as historical figures with connections to the Port of Lyttelton to celebrate the township's rich history and the important contribution it has made to the South Island's development.

Her Indoors (2019) is an expansive portrait of women marking the 125 anniversary of Women's Suffrage in New Zealand, the first country in the world where women gained the right to vote. This work represents a time-capsule, reflecting on the positive history and legacy of the achievement of suffrage for women in New Zealand, and gently addresses broad questions of where we have been and we are now.

Julia Holden graduated BFA at Elam, School of Fine Arts, Auckland, in 2007 and gained Master of Fine Arts by Research at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, in 2011. While in Australia Holden was a finalist in The Churchie, 2011, exhibited in SafARI 2012, and was a finalist in The Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2011 and 2012.

Since moving to Christchurch in 2012, Holden has directly engaged with rebuild projects, exhibits regularly and worked as guest Lecturer at Ilam School of Fine Arts, Christchurch