Robert Hague is an artist who brings an impeccable skill set to the contemporary scene. Throughout his work he revels in ambiguity, conveying simultaneously elements of the heavy and light, the fixed and fluid, the brutal and the tender. He works across numerous media including, printmaking, video, painting and installation but with a concentration on sculpture, in both metal and stone.

From his studio in Newport, Melbourne, he has exhibited widely and is represented in major public collections such as the National Gallery of Australia and the National Gallery of Victoria. In 2019 his work was the subject of a retrospective at the Casula Powerhouse (Sydney). Recent exhibitions include ‘Common Ground’ at NGV International, ‘New Prints’ at IPC New York, ‘The Megalo International Print Prize’ (Canberra), ‘Porcelaine’ at Turner Galleries (Perth), the Blake Prize (awarded the Blake Residency), 'CRUSH' at Fehily Contemporary, the ‘Wynne Prize’ at AGNSW and 'Inaugural' at Nicholas Projects.

Robert migrated to Australia 30 years ago from small town NZ. He has two young children.

Robert Hague Feb 2024

b. 1967

Solo Exhibitions

2024 ‘pending’, Oigåll Projects, Melbourne
2023 ‘EMPIRE’, Stockroom, Kyneton
2019     ‘Porcelaine’, Megalo Gallery, Canberra
2019     ‘Anatomies’, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Sydney
2019     ‘Where we meet’, Castlemaine Arts Festival, with Damien Shen
2018    'JOY', Stockroom, Kyneton
2017     ‘Colossus’, Mars Gallery, Melbourne
2017     ‘Mine - Yours’, Stockroom, Kyneton
2016     ‘Porcelaine’, Turner Galleries, Perth
2015     ‘Erasure’, The Art Vault, Mildura
2014     ‘Crush’, Fehily Contemporary, Melbourne
2013     ‘Deca: 2003-2013’, Deakin University Gallery, Melbourne
2012     ‘Monument’, Substation Arts Centre, Melbourne
2011 ‘200%’, The Arthouse, Christchurch
2010     ‘Twelve’, Axia Modern Art, Melbourne
2008     ‘This Way’, The Arthouse, Christchurch
2008     ‘After Athena’, Axia Modern Art, Melbourne
2004     ‘Sculpture’, Australian Art Resources, Sydney
2003     ‘Progression’, Stella Downer Fine Art, with Heidi Wood, Sydney
2003     ‘New Work’, Lister Calder Gallery, Perth

Selected Group Exhibitions

2024 ‘Melbourne Art Fair’, Oigåll Projects, Melbourne
2023 ‘Melbourne Now 2023’, National Gallery of Victoria
‘Experimental Print Prize’, Castlemaine Art Museum, Victoria
‘Banyule Works on Paper', Melbourne
2022 ‘Lorne Sculpture Biennale’, Lorne, Victoria
‘Storylines: stories of Australian Art’, National Gallery of Australia, ACT
‘Call and Response’, Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria
‘Who Are You: Australian Portraiture’, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
2021 ‘Exhume the Grave’, Geelong Gallery, Victoria
2020   ‘New Prints’, International Print Center, New York: IPCNY
‘NGV Triennial: Fallen Fruit’, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
            ‘The Patnershipping Project’, Mt Gambier Gallery, South Australia
            ‘Montalto Sculpture Prize’, Redhill
2019    ‘Megalo International Print Prize’, Canberra
‘Burnie Print Prize’, Tasmania
2017    ‘Bowness Prize’, Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne
   ‘Black Swan Prize for Portraiture’, WA Art Gallery, Perth
2016 ‘Common Ground’, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
‘The Substation Contemporary Art Prize’, Melbourne
  ‘National Photography Prize’, MAMA, Albury
  ‘The National Photographic Portrait Prize’, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
  ‘The Blake Prize’, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, NSW
2015    ‘Inaugural’, Nicholas Projects, Melbourne
  ‘The Wynne Prize’, Art Gallery of NSW
  ‘The Whyalla Art Prize’, Whyalla, South Australia
            ‘The Gippsland Print Award’, Gippsland Art Gallery, Victoria
   ‘The Hobart Art Prize’, Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, Tasmania
   ‘The Geelong Print Prize’, Geelong Gallery, Victoria
‘Burnie Print Prize’, Burnie Regional Gallery, Tasmania
2014 ‘Swan Hill Print & Drawing Award’, Swan Hill Regional Gallery, Victoria
            ‘Lorne Sculpture Biennale 2014, Lorne, Victoria
2013    ‘Compact’, Fehily Contemporary, Melbourne
‘Construction’, Incinerator Gallery, Moonee Ponds, Victoria
‘Art on Paper’, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Sydney
‘CPM National Print Award’, Tweed River Gallery, NSW
  ‘On a Wing and a Prayer’, Mars Gallery, Port Melbourne, Vic
  ‘McClelland Sculpture Fair’, McClelland Sculpture Gallery. Victoria
            ‘Montalto Sculpture Prize’, Red Hill, Victoria
2012    ‘Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award’, Melbourne
  ‘The Substation Contemporary Art Prize’, Melbourne
  'The Maquette Show’, MARS, Melbourne
  ‘Melbourne Sculpture Prize’, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
      ‘A Public Art Perspective’, Alfred Deakin Place, Ballarat, Victoria
2011 ‘Object, 2011’, BMGArt, Adelaide
‘Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award’. Melbourne
  ‘Lorne Sculpture 2011’. Lorne, Victoria
  ‘The Substation Contemporary Art Prize’, Newport, Melbourne
‘En Masse', post earthquake show. The Arthouse, Christchurch, New Zealand
‘Small Sculpture 2011’, Waiheke Art Gallery, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
2010 ‘Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award’. Melbourne
            ‘Toyota Sculpture Exhibition’, Port Melbourne. Melbourne
  ‘Miscellanea’, Tim Olsen Gallery, Paddington, Sydney
  ‘Sculpture 2010’, Tim Olsen Gallery, Paddington, Sydney
            'Shapeshifter', NZ International Arts Festival. Wellington, New Zealand
2009   ‘Lorne Sculpture Exhibition’, Lorne, Victoria
‘Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award’, Melbourne
‘10th International Shoebox Sculpture’, University of Hawaii, USA
‘Object + Construct’, Axia Modern Art, Armadale, Melbourne
             ‘Sculpture in Central Otago, Rippon 2009’. Wanaka, New Zealand
2008    ‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Bondi, Sydney
'Shapeshifter', NZ International Arts Festival, Wellington, New Zealand
2007     ‘Sculpture in Central Otago’, New Zealand
  La Maleta Gallery, Valladolid , Spain
The Arthouse, Christchurch, New Zealand
‘Pequeña Escultura’, Tudela de Duero, Spain
2006     ‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Bondi, Sydney
   ‘Casuarina Sculpture Walk’, Casuarina Beach, NSW
‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Cottesloe Beach, Perth
‘Shapeshifter’, NZ International Arts Festival, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
2005 ‘Sydney Art Fair’, AAR, Collectors Room, Horden Pavilion, Sydney
‘Agri4/Culture’, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, Windsor
‘Landscape & Beyond’, Amelia Johnson Contemporary, Hong Kong
‘Toorak Festival of Sculpture’, Toorak, Melbourne
‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Cottesloe Beach, Perth
‘Montalto Sculpture Prize’, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2004 ‘Shanghai Art Fair’, AAR, Shanghai, China
‘Sculpture in the MLC’, MLC Building, Sydney
             ‘Sculpture in the Vines’, Hunter Valley
‘Sculpture 2004’, Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney
2003    ‘New work’, Mosman Public Art Gallery, Sydney
‘Miniature Sculpture’, BMG Art, Adelaide
‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Bondi, Sydney
‘Sculpture in the Vines’, Hunter Valley
2002    ‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Bondi, Sydney
‘Woollahra Sculpture Prize’, Double Bay, Sydney
‘Master Class’, Cube Contemporary Art, Adelaide
‘Sculpture in the City’, Martin Place, Sydney
‘Waverley Art Prize’, Waverley, Sydney
‘Pushing Abstraction’, Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney
‘3 Dimensions of Sculpture’, Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney
2001    ‘Mine is Bigger than His’, Stephanie Burns Fine Art, Canberra
‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Bondi, Sydney
‘Objective’, Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney
2000    ‘The Importance of Being Small’, King St Gallery and Defiance, Sydney
‘The Willoughby Art Prize’, Willoughby Council, Sydney
‘Various Views’, Defiance Gallery, Sydney
‘The Waverley Art Prize’, Waverley Council, Sydney
1999     ‘Big Thoughts, Small Works’, Defiance Gallery, Sydney
‘Still Life’, King St Gallery and Defiance, Sydney
1998     ‘The Defiant 6”’, Works under 6”, Defiance. Sydney
‘Figure in the Landscape’, King St Gallery and Defiance, Sydney
‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Bondi, Sydney
‘Why Not?’, Tap Gallery, Sydney

Awards

2020    ‘Montalto Sculpture Prize’, Redhill, Vic
2019     ‘Burnie Print Prize’ viewers choice, Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Tasmania
2018     ‘King Valley Print Prize’, King Valley, Vic
2016     ‘The Blake Prize, Residency’, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, NSW
2011 ‘Lorne Sculpture 2011, Indoor Sculpture Award’, Lorne, Vic
2010     ‘Deakin University Small Sculpture Award’, Melbourne
2009     Yarra Trams Award’, Toorak Sculpture Prize, Melbourne
2000    ‘Waverley Art Prize’, Sculpture, Sydney
1999     ‘The Director’s Prize’, Sculpture by the Sea, Sydney

Bibliography & Media

2022 Art Works. ABC TV interview, 3/22
2019 Review: Porcelaine, Sasha Grisham, The Canberra Times, 10/6/19
Catalogue Essay: Anatomies. Dr Andrew Frost, Casula Powerhouse, 3/19
2016    Review: Porcelaine. Laetitia Wilson. The West Australian, 14/5/16
A Darker Duality. Essay by Marguerite Brown. Printmaking Today, Vol 25. UK. 1/16
2015    Inaugural. Review by Sam Leach. 12/15
2014 The Age. Robert Hague: Crush. Dan Rule. 9/14
  Crush and the Art of Unknowing. Essay by Andrew Frost. 8/14
            The Age. Artist’s profile for the Lorne Sculpture Biennale. 3/14
2012    The Melbourne Review. Toorak’s Urban Sculpture’. 5/12
2011     World Sculpture News. ‘Deakin Sculpture Award’. Winter 2011
The Star, Williamstown. Vanessa Chircop. 25/10/11
            The Leader, Hobsons Bay. Laura Keys. 1/11/11
2010   Elgee Park, ‘Sculpture in the Landscape’. Ken Scarlett. Macmillan Publishing.
The Star, Williamstown. Vanessa Chircop. 9/11/10
The Leader, Whitehorse. Bridie Byrne. 10/11/10
2008    Institutional Investor, Journal of Wealth Management, Cover. 11/08
2007    McGrath Magazine, Cover. Elizabeth Joyes. 1/12/07
2006    The Australian. ‘Soft Serve’, Sebastian Smee. 11/11/06
The Sun Herald, Life Magazine. ‘Q&A’, Chris Sheedy. 5/11/06
The Daily Telegraph. ‘Decade of sculpture…”, Elizabeth Fortescue. 1/11/06
             McCulloch’s Encyclopedia of Australian Art, Aus Art Editions, 2006
The Sydney Morning Herald. ‘Shape of things to come’, photo Peter Rae. 11/10/06
2005 InSite Magazine. Autumn, 06/05
Driven Magazine. 03/05
The Sculptor’s Bible, by John Plowman. Quarto Publishing. 2005
2004    Australian Art Review. 'Pleasure Hunting', Ruth Hessey. 07/04
How to buy & sell art, by Michael Reid. Allen & Unwin. 2004
2003     2SER Radio 107.3FM. Interview with Fran Morgan. 31/10/03
  The Sydney Morning Herald, Critic’s Pick. 03/10/03
  Art Seen in Western Australia. Judith McGrath. 06/03
  The Australian Financial Review. ‘Go Sculpture’, Sue Williams. 27/02/03
2002     The Australian Art Market Report. Issue 6. 12/02
  The Sun-Herald. ‘A Day in the Life of… an Artist’, John Dagge. 10/11/02
  The Sydney Morning Herald, Metropolitan. ‘Little Rocks’, Bronwyn Watson. 02/11/02
  The Advertiser, Adelaide, ‘Merging Creative Talents’, Adam Dutkiewicz. 21/10/02
              Hephaistos Magazine, Germany. 4/02

Commissions

2020     ‘Telling the Bees’, EVB, Brunswick
2015     ‘Sol’, apartment foyer, Hong Kong
2014     ‘The Script’, Pimpama Junction Centre, Queensland
2013     ‘A Red Prayer’, private, Beaumaris, Melbourne, Vic
2012     ‘Aporia II’, Leopold, 470 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, Vic
2011     ‘The Swimmer’, 8m wall piece, Maui, Hawaii, USA
2010     ‘Sol, Repose, One Mile, Skel’, Polo Club Hotel, Tianjin, China
2009     ‘West Orbis’, 4m, private, Mornington Peninsula, Vic
2008     ‘Hyph’, private, Hawaii, USA
2007     ‘Repose II’, Manhattan Hill, Hong Kong
  ’Descent’, Kosciuszko Thredbo, public sculpture, NSW
2006     ‘Reel’ 2006, Smorgon Collection, Melbourne, Vic
2005     ‘Orbis’, Emporio, corner Sussex & Liverpool St, Sydney. NSW
‘Fervor’, Four Seasons Hotel, foyer, Hong Kong.
  ‘Untitled’, Top of the Town, foyer, Victoria St, Darlinghurst, NSW
              ‘Genus’, Macquarie Group, Sovereign Centre, foyer, Bathurst Street, NSW
2004     ‘Composition V’, wall sculpture, private, Sydney. NSW
2003     ‘Bindaring’, private, Perth, WA
2002     ‘Aria Sol’, private, Sydney, NSW
2001     ‘Ocean Series’, Sculpture by the Sea Patrons Commission, NSW

Collections

National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
National Library of Australia
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery
Art Gallery of NSW, Members
Ballarat Gallery
Geelong Art Gallery
Gippsland Art Gallery
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery
MAMA, Albury
Burnie Regional Art Gallery
The Consulate of Malawi, Melbourne
Deakin University Art Collection, Melbourne
University of Western Australia
Murdoch University
John Curtin Gallery, Perth
Edith Cowan University, Perth
City of Melbourne
City of Fremantle
St John of God Hospital, Perth
Kosciuszko Thredbo Pty Ltd, Thredbo
Chadstone Shopping Centre, Melbourne
Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong
Poly Club Hotel, Tianjin, China
Emporio Apartments, Sydney
Concept Blue Apartments, Melbourne
Bulknet Pty Ltd, Sydney
Top of the Town Apartments, Sydney
Sovereign Centre, Sydney
Leopold, Melbourne
Form700 corporate offices, Melbourne

Baillieu & Sarah Myer
John & Pauline Gandel
Morry Fraid Collection
Michael & Janet Buxton
Rodney Smorgon Collection
Marco Belgiorno-Zegna
Armando Percuoco
Tetsuya Wakuda
Helen Turner
Rosemary Foot
Tony Geddes
Ron Kaplan
Keizo Ushio
Brian Powers

Self Portrait. 2018, acrylic polymer on board, 70 x 60 cm