About
Julia Holden is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores labour, materiality, and collaborative portraiture through painting, performance, and social engagement. Her projects—including The Artist(2024–ongoing) and I’m Your Fan (2014–present)—interrogate the invisible dimensions of creative practice, often through participatory methods honed during her time in post-earthquake Ōtautahi Christchurch. Holden holds an MFA from Monash University and a BFA from Elam School of Fine Arts, and has been awarded residencies at Dunedin School of Art (2024) and Tylee Cottage Whanganui, where her exhibition Her Indoors commemorated 125 years of women’s suffrage in Aotearoa. Her work has been exhibited at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, City Gallery Wellington, and Sarjeant Gallery, and is held in public and private collections across Australasia.
Rooted in community dialogue, Holden’s practice merges traditional techniques with experimental media—from performance photography to clay sculptures—to foster intimate exchanges. Recent accolades include the Forsyth Barr Runner-Up Award (Pushing Clay 2024) and selections for the Molly Morpeth Canaday and Zonta Ashburton Awards. Based on Waiheke Island, she continues to develop projects that bridge social history with contemporary portraiture’s expansive possibilities.
Recent explorations include portraits where private stories become enduring artworks and BEST IN SHOW, heirloom portraits celebrating the profound bonds between people and their animal companions.
I am based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, where I work on exhibition projects, private commissions, and partnerships with causes like SPCA and Pet Refuge.