Mason Kimber (b 1985, Perth, Australia) is a Sydney-based visual artist whose work explores the connections between architecture and memory. His practice encompasses painting, sculptural reliefs, collage and installation. By reworking images and casts of architectural fragments into new compositions, Kimber investigates the way physical facades and surfaces become triggers – and also vessels – for feelings of embodiment and recollection.
Recent projects include: Tongue on tongue / nos salives dans ton oreille, Galerie Allen, Paris (2019), Afternoon, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne, (2019), Slanted Mansions, COMA, Sydney (2018), Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize, NAS Gallery, Sydney (2018), Arcades, Galerie pompom, Sydney (2017), and NEW16, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne (2016).
Kimber holds a Master of Fine Art (painting) from the National Art School, Sydney, and has been a finalist in numerous Australian art prizes, including the Sulman Prize, Churchie National Emerging Art Prize, Sunshine Coast Art Prize and NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging). He has been awarded studio residencies at the British School at Rome, Italy, Parramatta Artists Studios and Artspace, Sydney and is a current artist in residence at Shirlow Street Studios, Sydney. His work is held in the collections of Artbank and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.
Kimber is a lecturer in Painting at the National Art School, Sydney and a lecturer in Studio Art Practice at UNSW Art & Design, Sydney.
Mason Kimber is represented in Melbourne by Sophie Gannon Gallery.
Education
2013
Master of Fine Art (Painting), National Art School, Sydney
2018
Bachelor of Art (Honours), Curtin University of Technology, Perth
Solo Exhibitions
2021
(upcoming) Kronenberg Mais Wright, Sydney
2019
Afternoon, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne
2018
Slanted Mansions, COMA, Sydney
Future Relics, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne
2017
Arcades, Galerie pompom, Sydney
2016
Oltre la Vista, Galerie pompom, Sydney
2015
Stranger At Home, Archive Space, Sydney
2013
Screen Memory, MOP Projects, Sydney
2013
Sin Rastros (Without A Trace), Residencia Corazon, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Group Exhibitions
2020
(upcoming June), Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne
2019
Tongue on tongue / nos salives dans ton oreille, curated by Prologue, Galerie Allen, Paris, France
Sumer Gallery at Spring 1883, The Establishment, Sydney
The Churchie National Emerging Art Prize, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane
2018
Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize (Emerging), curated by Nike Savvas, NAS Gallery, Sydney
Pulp Fiction, curated by Ron Adams, Galerie pompom, Sydney
2017
Paper Cuts, curated by Kristian Day, Tripp Gallery, London, UK
Young Moderns, Lewers House Gallery, Penrith Regional Gallery, Penrith
Master of Three Worlds, COMA, Sydney
2016
Auckland Art Fair, Galerie pompom, The Cloud, Auckland
NEW16, curated by Annika Kristensen, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne
Interiors/Exteriors, Grace Cossington Smith Gallery, Sydney
2015
NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging), curated by Alexie Glass-Kantor and Talia Linz, Artspace, Sydney
Right Here, Right Now, curated by Michael Do, Penrith Regional Gallery and Lewers Bequest, Penrith
Roman Remains, curated by Cathy Lomax, Transition Gallery, London, UK
Facade, curated by Sophia Kouyoumdjian and Liz Chang, Artereal Gallery, Sydney
2014
Sydney Painting Now, Galerie pompom, Sydney
June Mostra, curated by Marco Palmieri, British School at Rome, Italy
Spazi Aperti, Romanian Academy in Rome, Italy
The InterGalactic Image Factory, Liverpool Street Gallery, Sydney
2013
Stockland, Galerie pompom, Sydney
Emporio Armani National Art School Postgraduate Exhibition, National Art School, Sydney
Small Works, Edwina Corlette Gallery, Brisbane
Think Twice, Gallery Eight, Sydney
2012
Kaleidoscope, Scuola Internazionale di Grafica Gallery, Venice, Italy
2009
Better History, Seven Eleven Gallery, New York, US
2008
Art Melbourne 08, Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne
2007
Perrine Contemporary Art Award, Greenhill Gallery, Perth
Curtin Degree Show, Department of Art, Curtin University of Technology, Perth
2006
Transience, curated by Ric Spencer, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, University of Western Australia
2004
Art in Bloom, Art Gallery of Western Australia
2002
Year 12 Perspectives, Art Gallery of Western Australia
Awards/Grants/Residencies
2019
Arts Projects for Individuals Grant, Australia Council
Finalist, The Churchie National Emerging Art Prize, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane
Finalist, Sir John Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
Finalist, Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery, QLD
2018
Art Incubator Grant Recipient
Finalst, Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, Geelong Gallery, VIC
Studio Residency, C.A.P. Studio, Chiang Mai, Thailand
One Year Studio Residency, Waverley Artists Studios, Sydney
2017
One Year Studio Residency, Artspace, Sydney
2015
Finalist, NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging), Sydney
2014
Studio Residency, Parramatta Artists Studios, NSW
Finalist, Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, Sydney
Finalist, Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize, Sydney
Finalist, The Substation Contemporary Art Prize, Victoria
ArtStart Grant, Australia Council
National Art School studio residency, British School at Rome, Italy
2013
Artist in Residence, Residencia Corazon, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2012
Postgraduate Residency, Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Venice, Italy
2008
Artflight Grant, Department of Culture and the Arts
2007
Finalist, Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, Sydney
Teaching Appointments
2019-20
Casual Lecturer, Painting, National Art School, Sydney
Casual Tutor, Art Processes and Architecture, University of Sydney, School of Architecture
2016-19
Casual Academic, Painting, UNSW Art & Design, Sydney
2016-18
Casual Artist Educator, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Bibliography
2020
Art Collector Magazine, Issue 91: ‘Collectors Love - Mason Kimber’: Sharne Wolff
2019
Floorr Magazine, Issue 20: ‘Mason Kimber’: Simek Shropshire
Broadsheet Sydney, 14th March: ‘Creative Couples: Mariam Arcilla and Mason Kimber’: Pilar Mitchell
VAULT Magazine, Issue 25: ‘Artefacts’: Mason Kimber
2018
The Design Files, 19th September: ‘Preserving Relics Of Personal Histories’: Sally Tabart
Ex. Cat, September: ‘Slanted Mansions’: Mariam Arcilla
2017
The Sydney Morning Herald, 17th March: ‘Why you need to see...Mason Kimber': Katie Milton
2016 Art Collector – Auckland Art Fair Special Edition, May: ‘Mason Kimber': Camilla Wagstaff
NEW16 Ex. Cat, April: ‘Painting Ruins – Ruined paintings (Acts of art in the frame of cinema and architecture)': Dr Sam Spurr
The Guardian, 11th March: ‘NEW16 Review – artists’ processes are put under the microscope‘: Toby Fehily
2015
Art Guide Australia, 17th April: ‘Mason Kimber‘: Steve Dow
The Art Life, 6th April: ‘Oltre la Vista‘: Sharne Wolff
Ex. Cat, April: ‘Oltre la Vista’: Nick Tobias
Habitus Living, 30th March: ‘Artist Q+A: Mason Kimber‘
Buro 24/7 Australia, 24th March: ‘When in Rome: Mason Kimber’s Fresco Perspective‘
2014
Art Collector Magazine, Issue 71 Jan-Mar 2015, pp 108-109: ‘Debutantes‘: Kate Britton
Arty Magazine, Issue 34 – Rome: ‘Fresco/Abstraction’
ArtsHub, 20th March: ‘Rome Residency Awarded to NAS Graduate’: Gina Fairley
Ex. Cat, March: ‘Stranger at Home’: David Greenhalgh
The Art Life, 7th February: ‘The InterGalactic Image Factory’: Sharne Wolff
2013
The Sydney Morning Herald, 9-10 November: ‘Screen Memory’ – Open Gallery: Michael Fitzgerald
Broadsheet Sydney, 22nd October: ‘Mason Kimber’s Screen Memory’: Sam Preston
Ex. Cat, October: ‘Screen Memory’: Dr Ian Grieg
2008
Insite Magazine, Winter Edition:‘Time Traveller’: Fiona Adolph
The West Australian, 27th February:‘Defining Young Careers’: Gail Robinson
Collections
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Artbank Australia
Wagga Wagga Art Gallery