Euan Heng, (born 1945) is a Scottish-born Australian artist.

Life and work

Between 1960 and 1970, he was employed in various occupations, including four years as a merchant seaman travelling the world. He received a Diploma in Art and a Post Diploma from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in

Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...

, Scotland and Masters in Research from

RMIT The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (abbreviated as RMIT University) is a public research university located in the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia., section 4(b) Established in 1887 by Francis Ormond, it is the seventh-o ...

, in Melbourne. Other activities of the artist have included teaching at Clackmannan College of Further Education (now Forth Valley College) in Scotland, Monash University, Prato Centre in Italy and he is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor in Fine Art at

Monash University Monash University () is a public university, public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Named after World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the ...

, Melbourne. When describing his work, Heng explains his process of emptying out his paintings, "no vulgar brush strokes and no detail to distract – just gently modulated pigment to activate flat shapes of colour. I want the visual response to my new paintings to be rapid, if possible, after which the viewer, should he or she wish, can invest further time in unpacking the content, or in discovering the paintings' secrets. By seeking this pictorial suddenness, formally speaking my aim is to avoid the 'expressionistic', and to privilege instead the flatness of the painting's surface". While Heng's work is contemporary in practice his imagery is not always contemporary in origin. He has long been influenced by Italian iconography, medieval paintings and frescoes, and 16th century Mogul art. Heng has been able to spend considerable time in Italy, thanks to his teaching post at the Prato Centre, and aspects of the country's art and landscape have crept into his work.

Exhibitions

Since 1973, Heng has held 35

solo exhibition A solo show or solo exhibition is an art exhibition, exhibition of the work of only one artist. Rather than a group of artists who collaborate to form an exhibition. The artwork may be paintings, drawings, etchings, collage, sculpture, or photogr ...

s in Australia, Italy and Scotland and has participated in over 70 curated and juried group exhibitions in Australia and internationally, including the UK, North America, Europe and Asia. Shows include ''Reading the Space: Contemporary Australian Drawing #3'' at New York Studio School in the US and ''Interlude Suspended'' at Niagara Galleries in Melbourne. He has participated in the Auckland Art Fair and Melbourne Art Fair representing Niagara Galleries and Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney and the Drawing Biennale at Drill Hall Gallery in

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

Collections

Heng's work is represented in major private and corporate collections, as well as public and university museum collections in all states of Australia including the

National Gallery of Australia The National Gallery of Australia (NGA), formerly the Australian National Gallery, is the national art museum of Australia as well as one of the largest art museums in Australia, holding more than 166,000 works of art. Located in Canberra in th ...

National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest and list of most visited art museums in the world, most visited art mu ...

Art Gallery of New South Wales The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), founded as the New South Wales Academy of Art in 1872 and known as the National Art Gallery of New South Wales between 1883 and 1958, is located in The Domain, Sydney, Australia. It is the most import ...

and the Queensland Art Gallery. Internationally, Heng's work appears in the collections of Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery and Stirling University, both in Scotland. Additionally, illustrated essays, articles and reviews on his work have been published in all major Australian newspapers and recognised art press, including Art Forum International, USA, Asian Art news, Art and Australia and Art Monthly Australia.

Awards

Heng has participated in visiting artist/lectureships and residences in Australia and overseas including, in 1999, the

Australia Council Creative Australia, formerly known as the Australia Council for the Arts and the Australia Council, is the country's official arts council, serving as an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. The council was announ ...

Residency at the

British School at Rome The British School at Rome (BSR) is a British interdisciplinary research centre supporting the arts, humanities and architecture established in Rome. Historical and archaeological study are at the core of its activities. History The British Sc ...

. In 2004, he received the Australian Council for University Art and Design Schools Distinguished Research Award. In 2010, he was the recipient of a Residencies for Scotland Programme, awarded by the

Royal Scottish Academy The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) is the country's national academy of art. It promotes contemporary art, contemporary Scottish art. The Academy was founded in 1826 by eleven artists meeting in Edinburgh. Originally named the Scottish Academy ...

References

External links

euanheng.com
Artists' website

Niagara Galleries, Melbourne Australia (Euan Heng)
boutwelldrapergallery.com.au
Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney Australia (Euan Heng) {{DEFAULTSORT:Heng, Euan Australian painters Australian printmakers Living people 1945 births Alumni of the University of Dundee People from Oban Alumni of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design 20th-century Australian artists