About Peter Griffen
Peter Griffen, born in Adelaide in 1948, and now working as a full time artist in Sydney, first exhibited in 1972 and has since had over fifty solo showings throughout Australia, five in London, four in Paris, two in St.Tropez, one in Lyon and one in New Zealand.
Griffen is represented by a galleries throughout Australia and in Copenhagen and by agents in UK and France. His work has been exhibited in art fairs in Europe, UK, Canada and Asia. He exhibits widely in group exhibitions, has been commissioned several times and his work has been acquired for private, public and corporate collections in Australia and overseas.
Peter Griffen works and lives in his studio and also enjoys working en plein air in various parts of the world, especially in the outback of Australia.
The art of Peter Griffen is influenced as much by the classical painting of the Renaissance as by the serendipity of abstract expressionism. Indigenous art from different parts of the world (in particular Australia) and its relationship to the natural landscape influence his work also, producing powerful abstract images that speak from the past.
Publications
Herald Sun, Jeff Makin 18 Mar'02The Qantas Club & Flight Deck Win'01, Aut'01, Spri'99, Jul'98, Mar'94
Australian Artist Jan'00, Aug'95, April'95, July'94, July'93
International Artist Issue No. 1 July'98
Craft Art International Issue No. 4 Oct'98
Canberra Times, Sasha Grishin 1Nov’04, Nov'98, 21 Jul'96 ,18 Jun'94, Aug'91
Who's Who of Australian Visual Artists, Thorpe 1995
Alice Springs News, Kieran Finnane 28th Jun'95
Centralian Advocate, Dorothy Grimm 16th Jun'95
Encyclopedia of Australian Art, Susan McCulloch, Allen & Unwin 1994
Sydney Morning Herald, Bronwyn Watson 30th Jul'93
Weekend Australian, Elwyn Lynn 17th Jul'93, 13th Jul'91, 27th June'87
Artists and Galleries of Australia Vol.1, Max Germaine, Craftsman House
Antipode, Australia- France Association, Paris, France 1997
Artvoice Vol.1, Dec'94
Articles
Promotional flyer by Earl de Blonville.Canberra Times, Monday, Nov 1, 2004 by Sasha Grishin, PhD, Art Historian, Australian National University and art critic for the Canberra Times.
Commissions
2005 Simon Parry-Okeden, NSW2004 Keaman Constructions, Public Art, Sydney, NSW
2002 The Good Guys, Melbourne, VIC
2000 Resmed, Sydney, NSW
1998 Geelong Private Hospital, Geelong, VIC
1998 National Capital Private Hospital, Canberra, ACT
1997 Imperial Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1997 Diamond Press, Sydney, NSW
1996 Capital Plaza, Sydney NSW
1994 Optus Communications, Sydney NSW
1993 Merck, Sharpe & Dohme, Sydney, NSW
1992 Dr J Scoppa, Sydney, NSW
1992 Canberra Casino, Canberra, ACT
1992 Capital Park Royal, Canberra, ACT
1992 Park Lane, Sydney, NSW
1992 Diamond Press, Sydney, NSW
1991 Century Radison Hotel, Sydney, NSW
1991 Paul Ramsey Private Hospitals, Sydney, NSW
1988 Hyatt Hotel, Adelaide, SA
Manifesto
"I believe that to make discoveries risks must be taken, the traveller must get lost.
A well planned journey can only lead to an already known destination.
At some stage the painting must go out of control.
From chaos the universe was formed.
The artist enters chaos and by taking control, synthesising and simplifying, new images are discovered - images that are potent and speak from the past."
Exhibitions – Solo
2007 Nepean College of TAFE, NSW2006 Art Feeling, Lyon, France
2006 Chase Tribal and Contemporary Art, NSW
2005 Perth Concert Hall, WA
2005 Gadfly Gallery, Perth, WA
2005 Bruce Macfie Gallery of Fine Art, Gold Coast, Qld
2005, 03, 02, 01 Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2005 Reybourn House, Whangerai, NZ
2004, 98, 95, 94, 91 Solander Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2003 Australian Embassy, Paris, France
2003 Macquarie University (Survey Show), NSW
2003, 01 Australian Film Festival, St Tropez, France
2003, 01, 99, 97, 95 James Colman, London, UK
2003, 02 Dagmar Art Consultants, Melbourne, VIC
2002, 93, 88 Greenhill Galleries, Adelaide, SA
2001 Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter Valley, NSW
1999, 96, 94 Qantas Domestic Terminal, NSW
1997, 98 North Sydney Fine Art Gallery, NSW
1997 Quadrivium, Sydney, NSW
1996 The Oven, New York, NY, USA
1996, 95 Convent Gallery, Daylesford, VIC
1995, 93, 91 Gallerie Etienne de Causans, Paris, France
1995 Espace Alliance, Sydney, NSW
1995 Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs NT
1995 Andrew Vincent Galleries, Brisbane, QLD
1994, 93, 92 Sydney Oyster Bar, Sydney, NSW
1994, 92 Mary Reiby Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1993, 91, 89 Holdsworth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
1993 Breewood Galleries, Katoomba, NSW
1990 Orange Regional Gallery (West Room), Orange, NSW
1988, 78 Flight Art Gallery, Adelaide, SA
1986 First Impression Fine Art Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1986, 85 Nicholson Street Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1975 Vargas Gallery, Adelaide, SA
Exhibitions – Group
2006 Art Melbourne 06 Icon Gallery (two person), Vic2006, 05, Sydney Art Fair, Icon Gallery (two person), NSW
2005, 04, 03 Taylor Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2004 Icon Gallery, Sydney, NSW, “Parallel Stories”
2003 Gold Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland
2003 Galeri Aniela, Kangaroo Valley, NSW (3 Person)
2003 Tamworth City Gallery, Tamworth, NSW, “Double Vision”
2004, 02 Fleurieu Prize, SA
2002 Dobell Drawing Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
2002 Wagner Art Gallery, NSW, Summer Exhibition
2001 Wagner Art Gallery, NSW, Collectors' Choice
2001 Toronto Art Fair, Toronto, Canada
2001 Wagner Art Gallery, Hong Kong
2000, 01 Messagers de la Terre, France & Belgium
2000 Sir Hermann Black Sculpture & Art Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1988, 89, 99, 00 Mosman Art Prize, Sydney, NSW
1997 Singapore Art Exp., Singapore
1996 Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York, NY, USA
1996 Werrington TAFE, Sydney, NSW
1996, 97 Tattersalls Club Art Prize, Invitation, Brisbane, QLD
1996 ART, Islington, UK
1995, 96 British Art Fair, London, UK
1994 Alice Prize, Alice Springs, NT
1994 Jill Richards Gallery, Sydney, NSW (2 person)
1994 Gallery on Booth, Sydney, NSW
1992, 02 Qantas Club, Sydney Domestic Terminal
1992, 93, 94 Von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle, NSW
1991, 93, 95, 97 Muswellbrook Art Prize, NSW (finalist)
1991, 95 LineArt Ghent Art Fair, Belgium
1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 02, 03 Delmar Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1991 John Olsen Drawing Prize, Bathurst, NSW (Finalist)
1991 "Sydney and the Fringes", Inv, Holdsworth Gal, NSW
1990 Biennale Internationale du Pastel, St. Quentin, France
1990 "Visual Instincts", Curated Drawing, University of NSW
1990 Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne, Vic
1990 University of Vermont, USA
1989 Sulman Prize (finalist) Art Gallery of NSW
1988, 89, 90 North Sydney Contemporary Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1988 City of Lake Macquarie-Charlestown, Contemporary Art Prize, NSW
1988, 91 Faber-Castell Drawing Prize (finalist), Sydney, NSW
1987 Stadford Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1987, 88 Cooper Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1986 N.B. Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1986 Nidus Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1985, 86 Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1985, 86 Arthaus, Sydney, NSW
1984, 92, 97 Hunters Hill Art Prize (finalist), Sydney, NSW
1983, 89, 90, 91, 92 Fisher's Ghost Art Prize, Campbelltown, NSW
1981 Ebert & Boussage Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1979 Contemporary Art Society of S A, Adelaide, SA
1972 David Sumner Gallery, Adelaide, SA
Collections
Patrick Corrigan, Gold Coast, QldNance and Associates Los Angeles, USA
Massachusetts Education Dept. Massachusetts, USA
New England Regional Art Gallery NSW
Muswellbrook Regional Art Gallery NSW
Price Waterhouse Sydney, NSW
Hyatt Coolum QLD
Westpac Sydney, NSW
Regent Sydney, NSW
Park Royal Sydney, NSW
Park Lane NSW, Hong Kong
Sydney City Council NSW
Baulderstone-Hornibrook NSW
NSW Treasury Corporation Sydney, NSW
Meridan School Sydney, NSW
Department of Transport Canberra, ACT
Crown Casino Melbourne, VIC
Qantas NSW, QLD & New Zealand
Macquarie University NSW
Professor D. Yerbury Sydney, NSW
Trinity Grammer Sydney, NSW
Giant Resources Sydney, NSW
Malleson Stephen, Jaques NSW, QLD
Potter Partners Sydney, NSW
Private collections: Australia, Europe, USA, Asia, New Zealand
Commissions
2005 Simon Parry-Okeden, NSW2004 Keaman Constructions, Public Art, Sydney, NSW
2002 The Good Guys, Melbourne, VIC
2000 Resmed, Sydney, NSW
1998 Geelong Private Hospital, Geelong, VIC
1998 National Capital Private Hospital, Canberra, ACT
1997 Imperial Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1997 Diamond Press, Sydney, NSW
1996 Capital Plaza, Sydney NSW
1994 Optus Communications, Sydney NSW
1993 Merck, Sharpe & Dohme, Sydney, NSW
1992 Dr J Scoppa, Sydney, NSW
1992 Canberra Casino, Canberra, ACT
1992 Capital Park Royal, Canberra, ACT
1992 Park Lane, Sydney, NSW
1992 Diamond Press, Sydney, NSW
1991 Century Radison Hotel, Sydney, NSW
1991 Paul Ramsey Private Hospitals, Sydney, NSW
1988 Hyatt Hotel, Adelaide, SA
