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Gareth Barlow

Gareth Barlow artworks hanging at Parnell Gallery
Bio

Gareth Barlow is a contemporary Aotearoa artist living in Marlborough.

Working primarily in acrylic and charcoal, Barlow creates large-scale paintings and portraits distinguished by their atmospheric quality and symbolic imagery. Native birds, portraiture, and narratives of connection are recurring elements throughout his practice, reflecting an ongoing interest in identity, belonging, ancestry, and the relationships between people, place, and the natural world. His works often explore states of attentiveness and exchange, inviting reflection on how presence, memory, and story shape human experience.

Alongside his painting practice, Barlow has spent many years engaging with the histories, stories, and artistic traditions of Aotearoa. His work reflects a sustained interest in narrative systems and ways of understanding the world, including Māori pūrākau and his own Celtic heritage, approached as distinct but intersecting cultural frameworks. Of his practice, he comments, “I sometimes feel that on anyone’s art journey, if you don’t have more questions than answers, you’re not on the right path.” This ongoing inquiry informs a practice grounded in observation, learning, and reflection.

Also an established carver, Barlow’s work has been displayed at various museums throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, including Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, and Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa. Today, his carvings are predominantly commissioned privately as works that honour family histories, ancestral connections, and intergenerational legacy.

Having spent his childhood in the Hutt Valley, Wellington, Barlow lived there until the age of 29 before moving to Sydney, where he remained for two decades. During this time, he continued to develop his artistic practice and exhibition history internationally. In 2024, he returned to Aotearoa New Zealand, bringing his practice back to his homeland. He now lives and works in Marlborough.

Barlow’s career has garnered significant recognition. He was a finalist in the Wallace Art Awards in 2020, runner-up in the People’s Choice Award at the Adam Portraiture Award in 2018, and placed third in the same category in 2020. In 2021, he received a Merit Award and won the People’s Choice Award at the Parkin Drawing Prize for The Resurrection of Kahungunu. His work is held in collections throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and North America.

Parnell Gallery has represented Gareth Barlow since 2021.

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