supported by
Australian Government - Regional Arts Fund
TASMANIA Parks and Wildlife Service
Tasmanian Government
Huon Valley Council
Arts Tasmania
SalonWriting
salon
Bone and clay shadow,
Escapes the memory cave –
Mortal, she is born.
Patrick Toohey
Born and raised on a farm in Wiradjuri country NSW, I am a visual artist living and working in nipaluna, lutruwita | Hobart, Tasmania.
I have a process-based practice that incorporates drawing, writing, sculpting, artist books, published books, site-specific & immersive installations, performative & experiential works, and socially engaged projects. I work with spaces, materials and forms that are pertinent to the idea.
Much of my practice is concerned with a return to matter, to the inside spaces of earth and being, exploring our connectedness and my unsettling heritage through exposing buried storylines from deep within our cultural mythologising.
Collaborations are integral to my practice including my collaboration with Ruth Hadlow to run salon - a program providing a platform for artists voices.
I exhibit regularly and nationally; have held many solo exhibitions including a site-specific installation at MONA; and have been finalist in national art prizes: tidal.18 and The Blake Prize. I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours (2005) and a Master of Fine Arts higher research degree from the University of Tasmania (2010).
photograph by Susan Dickson
exhibitions + events + books
COLLABORATIVE / PARTNERSHIP works + exhibitions
2021-5 Ariadne's thread a series of performative collaborations with Christl Berg, Jan Dineen, & Llewellyn Negrin. Various sites in Tasmania
2024 The Visit - come walk with us ,socially engaged project with Morag Porteous, Runnymede historic home, + former Boys Orphan School St Johns Park TAS
2024 Water Witch ,socially engaged project / performative / installation with Duo Antiqua and the Dark Cave readers, Maritime Museum of Tasmania
2024 Liquid Language library installation /socially engaged project / performative readings with the Dark Cave readers, Maritime Museum of Tasmania
2021-2 Irregular Pearl a series of in-situ music | drawing collaborations
with Llewellyn Negrin playing recorder and Chrissie Berryman on viola de gamba, Hadleys Hotel, Hobart.
2021 Dark Cave I Sky Light multi-voiced performative reading of the Dark Cave text interwoven with viola cello and choir.
Music composition viola by Emily Sheppard; cello Lucy Wilson; creative collaboration Ruth Hadlow, at the Tahune Airwalk, Southern Tasmania
2020 The Drawing Room installation, performance - as a part of the Hidden Histories exhibition Narryna Historic Museum, Hobart, Tasmania
2019 Dark Cave III multi-voiced performative reading of the Dark Cave text, a collaboration Ruth Hadlow, Hobart Town Hall Underground, Tasmania
2018 Correspondence with Christl Berg & Marinelle Basson, Schoolhouse Gallery, Rosny, Tasmania
2016 process/ion, Moonah Arts Centre, Moonah, Tasmania
2016 In Situ choreographed performance readings of artist 's writing with Ruth Hadlow & Marinelle Basson, Moonah Arts Centre, Moonah, Tasmania.
2016 Drawn into the Unknown, the Schoolhouse Gallery, Rosny, Tasmania
2016 Walk into the Unknown, Performative reading, writing and drawing in exhibition Drawn into the Unknown, with Ruth Hadlow & Christl Berg
2016 Writing + Drawing, published in the anthology of artist's writing,
2013 Remnants of the Earth, with Annette McGowan, Despard Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2012 New Art, with Maeve Woods & Annette McGowan, Despard Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2010 The Transforming Garden; Works inspired by the Sufi poet, Hafiz (1320 – 1389) with Mandy Renard, Handmark Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2008 The Telling of X, installation with Patrick Toohey, Inflight Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2007 Pitch, installation with Susan Dickson, Top Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2003 Fabricate, installation with Nicole Chorosky, Entrepot Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
1997 Curve, dialogue through drawing with Tiffany Winterbottom, Maldini’s Restaurant, Hobart, Tasmania
SOLO works + exhibitions
2024 The Visit, durational, socially engaged project, Runnymede historic home, Tasmania
2023 Star Finder, site specific installation, Maritime Museum of Tasmania - Acquisition
2019 Dark Cave I, site-specific experiential participant performance, Hastings Caves, Tasmania
2019 Dark Cave II published by SalonWriting, a collaborative publishing project run by SALON WRITING
2018 Book # 41, Inner Topographies published for The Tasmanian People's Library run by A Published Event,
2018 The Shape of Space, site-specific installation under the umbrella of Correspondence, Schoolhouse Gallery, Rosny, Tasmania
2013 Crown of Thorns, site-specific installation in the Seaweed Tepee, MONA – Tepee by Kirsha Kaechele,
Sea urchin installation by Maria Fernanda Cardoso, Hobart, Tasmania
2012 Works on Paper, Off Foyer, The Henry James Art Hotel, Hobart, Tasmania
2009 Dark Matter, Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2005 The Shadow Gardens, School of Art University of Tasmania
2002 Felt, Entrepot Gallery, Tasmania
AWARDS PRIZES GRANTS
2024 Finalist in tidal.24, Devonport Regional Gallery, Devonport, Tasmania
2024 Commissioned work, Lament for the Paperbarks King Island Council
2020 Recipient of the Huon Valley Council Community Recovery grant for Dark Cave | Sky Light (a salon production)
2020 Recipient of the Huon Valley Council Rapid Response grant for Dark Cave # I @ Hastings Caves
2019 Recipient of a Regional Arts Fund grant for Dark Cave # I @ Hastings Caves
2018 Finalist in tidal.18, Devonport Regional Gallery, Devonport, Tasmania
2016 Recipient of the Dombrovkis Wilderness Residency at Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs, Tasmania
2011 The Blake Societies 2011 Directors Cut Exhibition: www.blakeprize.com.au
2011 Finalist in The 60th Blake Prize; Exploring the Religious and Spiritual in Art, Sydney College of Arts, NSW
2003 Deans’ Role of Excellence, Faculty of Visual and Performing Arts, University of Tasmania
2000 Deans’ Role of Excellence, Faculty of Visual and Performing Arts, University of Tasmania
1980 Touring Selected HSC Major Works, State traveling exhibition, Regional galleries across NSW
1979 Selected HSC Major Works, The Round Building, University of NSW, Sydney, NSW
CURATED exhibitions & projects
2025 Puncturing the Mask of Civility, Runnymede historic home, hobart Tasmania
2024 _'Time Place Space King Island Gallery, King Island, Tasmania
2023 Reimagining the Ocean, Maritime Museum of Tasmania c
2021 Unravelling Ornament, Hadleys Hotel, Hobart, Tasmania
2020 Hidden Histories, Narryna Heritage Museum, Hobart, Tasmania
2019 Drawing the Body, TopSpace StudioGallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2019 Circle of Stones, Gallery 152, York, Western Australia
2018 Listening for Songs, Gallery 152, York, Western Australia
2018 Trace, Gallery 152, York, Western Australia
2017 Refverence (sic), Allport Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2014 Paper Garments for the Grave Project state touring exhibition
2012 Osmosis IV: A Response to Sullivans Cove, Long Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2011 Osmosis III: A Response to Lake St Clair, Long Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2010 Osmosis II: A Response to Queenstown, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2009 Osmosis I: A Response to Bruny Island, Sidespace, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2008 Breath Marks of Haigu, Rosny Library, Rosny, Tasmania
2008 Harvest 2, IXL Art Hotel, Hobart, Tasmania
GROUP exhibitions
2017 Images Tasmania 20, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2016 Images Tasmania 19, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2015 Paper Garments for the Grave, The Barn Gallery, Rosny, Hobart, Tasmania
2015 Paper Garments for the Grave, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston, Tasmania
2014 Paper Garments for the Grave, Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Burnie, Tasmania
2014 Constance Goes Postal, Constance Gallery ARI, Hobart, Tasmania
2014 The Summer Show, Despard Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2013 Artaid, The Bondstore Gallery, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2012 Images Tasmania, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2011 Images Tasmania, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2011 Refired: Contemporary Ceramic and Sculpture. Sidespace Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2010 Images Tasmania, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2010 Trajectories, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2009 Images Tasmania, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
2008 CAST Members Show, CAST, Hobart, Tasmania
2008 Metal Cast, School of Performing Art and Design UTAS, Launceston, Tasmania
2007 CAST Members Show, CAST, Hobart, Tasmania
2007 Shop Front Trail, Living Artists Week, Store and Co., Hobart, Tasmania
2004 Launch, The Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2004 Seven, Fine Arts Gallery, UTAS Sandy Bay, Tasmania
2003 Grot, The Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2002 Postcard Folio, Entrepot Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2001 Up the Garden Path, Botanical Gardens, Hobart, Tasmania
2001 Transistor, University Art Prize, Entrepot Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2001 Print Books, Entrepot Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2000 Not quite dry, Entrepot Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
1999 Not yet famous, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
Solitude 1979
121 x 94.5 cm,
acrylic on canvas