Anthony Lister

“Jesus may as well be Superman, God is better understood as The Force, and the Devil is more easily recognised within the actions of our politicians and global corporate entities. These are our contemporary codes of living practice. Our urban mythology is now translated through comic books and television sitcoms. The distinction between good and bad plague our existence in every way yet remain ambiguous in their representation”.
Anthony Lister, New York, 2007

Q - Where do you situate your notion of a superhero in terms of culture today?
A - At the top of everything else that is holy and pure.

Q - Where do you feel this fits into your practice overall and in relation to other works?
A - I feel like it is the conceptual language I have been searching for my entire life. I always knew that the most obvious solutions were right in front of me but continually fight with myself about not letting solutions come easily. I guess I am in a perpetual state of accepting the obvious as a valid source of inspiration. - Q - You have described yourself primarily as a painter with video works and installations being an extension of this, could you discuss a little on how these link together for you and also what it is about painting that attracts you to it? - A - Its all problem solving to me.

Biography

• Born in Brisbane, Australia
• Works and lives in Brooklyn, New York

Education

• 2004 Education Queensland, Minister's Art Awards, Mentoring Workshops
• Residency, Blender Studio, Melbourne
• 2002 Mentorship, Max Gimblett, New York
• 2001 BVA Fine Arts, Queensland College of Art Griffith University, Brisbane

Solo Exhibitions

• 2008 ‘MIART’, Milano, Italy
• 2008 ‘Elms Lesters, London, UK
• 2007 ‘Art Miami’, New Image Art Gallery, L.A.
• 2007 ‘Year 07 Art Project’, London, UK
• 2007 ‘Super is as Super Does’, Metro 5 Gallery, Melbourne
• 2007 ‘Cracker got snapped by the Pops’, Upper Playground, San Francisco
• 2007 ‘Allarmi 3, Nuovo Contingente’, Como, Italy
• 2007 ‘Rest on Nails’, Lyons Weir Gallery, New York
• 2006 ‘Saturday Morning Prime Time’, Spectrum Gallery, London
• 2006 ‘Supermarket’, Metro 5 Gallery, Melbourne
• 2006 ‘Backdoor Confessional’, Harrison Galleries, Sydney
• 2005 ‘Smells Like White Out’, Metro 5 Gallery, Melbourne
• 2005 ‘Plastic Mechanical’, Art Galleries Schubert, Gold Coast
• 2005 ‘Twice on Sundays’, Fox Galleries, Brisbane
• 2005 ‘Wrapped Meat Lyric’, Lyons Weir Gallery, New York
• 2005 ‘My Daughter's Panic Attack’, Brian Moore Gallery, Sydney
• 2004 ‘The Finer Points of Monkeyism’, Art Galleries Schubert, Gold Coast
• 2004 ‘Subtitled’, Fox Galleries, Brisbane
• 2003 ‘Places & Things’, Fox Galleries, Brisbane
• 2002 ‘Issues & Aesthetics’, Project Gallery, Queensland College of Art
• 2001 ‘Urbanised Influence’, Fox Galleries, Brisbane

Group Exhibitions - Selected

• 2005 Studio 14, Rome
• 2004 ‘Prime’, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
• 1980 Crystalis, New York
• 2003 ‘White Lies Beneath’, Helen Gory Gallery, Melbourne
• 1980 Atlantic Conference, New York
• 2002 ‘dis/place/meant’, Fox Galleries, Brisbane
• 2001 ‘Play it forward’, Queensland College of Art Graduate Exhibition
• 2000 ‘Young Bux’, Campbell Mahoney, Brisbane

Public Art

• 2003 Fred Perry Skate Park, Brisbane
• 1999-03 Switch Boxes, Brisbane City

Awards

• 2005 Prometheus Art Award, Finalist - Gold Coast
• 2005 Metro 5 Art Award, Finalist - Melbourne
• 2004 Churchie Art Award, Finalist - Brisbane
• 2004 The Courier Mail Art Award, Highly Commended - Brisbane
• 2004 The Metro 5 Art Award, Finalist - Melbourne
• 2003 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship Exhibition - Finalist, Sydney
• 2003 Theiss Art Prize - Finalist, Queensland College of Art Gallery, Brisbane

Collections

• Brand & Slater Architects
• Brisbane Grammar School
• BHP
• National Gallery of Australia