Joel Rea (born 27 January 1983) is an Australian artist known for his surreal, photorealistic oil on canvas works.
Joel Rea | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 January 1983 |
| Nationality (legal) | Australian |
| Alma mater | Griffith University |
| Occupation | Artist |
| Website | joelrea |
Highly acclaimed and multi award-winning,[1] Rea’s allegorical paintings stand somewhere between genres of hyperrealism, photorealism and virtuosic Renaissance realism. He has exhibited his paintings in galleries and public spaces since 2004[2] and is held in numerous public and private collections worldwide. Collectors of Rea's artworks include UFC commentator & comedian Joe Rogan,[3] fashion editor & writer Tim Blanks, Author Chris Salgardo. Rea has been profiled by such art publications as Juxtapoz, VICE Arts,[4] Beautiful Bizarre, WideWalls, Art Business News & Huffington Post Arts.
Early life and education edit
Rea was born in Teesside, Middlesbrough, England, in 1983.[5] He moved to Australia with his family at the age of two.[6] He is a distant relative of Chris Rea.[5]
Rea received his early education from Palm Beach Currumbin State High School.[6][7] He graduated from the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in fine arts.[8][2]
Career edit
In 2006, Rea's debut solo painting exhibition, "High Fidelity", was entirely purchased by an art collector prior to its public unveiling.[5] The following year, his piece "Killing Me Softly" fetched an unprecedented AU$30,000, marking a personal record for a single artwork sale.[5]
Rea's artistic accolades continued in 2011 when his piece, "Moment of Truth", was shortlisted for the prestigious Metro Art Award.[8][9][10] In 2013, American magazine Art Business News selected Joel Rea as one of 30 artists under the age of 30 who are revolutionizing the world of fine arts.[11] In 2019, renowned American comedian Joe Rogan acquired a Rea painting, further cementing the artist's prominent standing in the art world.[3]
Exhibitions edit
Rea's work has been exhibited in galleries and public spaces such as Jonathan Levine Gallery in New York City,[4][12] HOFA Gallery in Los Angeles,[13] Gold Coast City Art Gallery in Gold Coast, Australia.[5]
Awards and recognition edit
- Griffith Award for Excellence in Fine Art[14]
- Redland Gallery Art Award, Cleveland[14]
- Metro Art Award by Metro Gallery, Melbourne[15]
- Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, Perth[1]
- Salon des Refusés, Sydney[14]
- Sulman Prize[16]
- Mosman Art Prize[1]
- Doug Moran National Portrait Prize[1]
- Fleurieu Art Prize[1]
- ANL Maritime Award, Melbourne[1]
- Brisbane Portrait Prize[17]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f "Joel Rea". Contemporary Art Curator Magazine. 15 July 2017.
- ^ a b Binney, Sarah (24 September 2015). "QCA graduate Joel Rea opens solo exhibition in New York".
- ^ a b "Joe Rogan of UFC gives Gold Coast artist Joel Rea LA base tour". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney).
- ^ a b "The Surreal Scenes in These Paintings are Darker Than Seem". Vice News. 7 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Robson, Dave (May 16, 2012). "Teesside-born artist Joel Rea tells of mima dream". TeessideLive.
- ^ a b Baker, Tim. "Tiger Style". The Surfer's Journal.
- ^ "Portrait puts 'confident but introspective' Fanning out on a ledge for Archibald Prize". Gold Coast Bulletin.
- ^ a b "Gold Coast artist in running for Australia's richest arts prize". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ "Da Vinci and a twist of new century". The Courier-Mail.
- ^ "Local artist carves wave of success". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney).
- ^ "Art Business News Summer 2013 Edition" (PDF).
- ^ "Hyperrealism Thrives at Jonathan LeVine Gallery". Vice News. 15 September 2015.
- ^ "Gold Coast artists".
- ^ a b c "Joel Rea".
- ^ "2011 on the Gold Coast". ABC (Australia).
- ^ "Archibald Prize Sulman 2014 work: The final pieces by Joel Rea".
- ^ "Young artists now in the mix to win Brisbane Portrait Prize".