Harry Holland (artist)

Harry Holland (born 1941) is a British painter known for his figurative work. He has been based in Cardiff, Wales since 1973.[1][2]

Life and career

Harry Holland was born in 1941 in Glasgow.[1] He spent his childhood in various parts of the UK before settling with his mother, stepfather and brother in London in 1951. He was educated at Rutlish Grammar School, Merton. From 1965 to 1969, he studied at Saint Martin's School of Art, where he exhibited at the graduation show in 1969.[3][2] Initially working mainly as a copyist and illustrator, Holland went on to teach at Coventry College of Art, also in Stourbridge and Hull, before moving to the Cardiff School of Art in 1973. By 1978, he was able to commit solely to painting, following the purchase of his work by the collector Charles Saatchi.[4]

Holland was one of four "painters of promise for the 1980s" nominated by the Financial Times critic, William Packer, in a 1978 Vogue magazine article spotlighting a new generation, published as Packer was curating the British Art Show[5] which would open in 1979.[6]

During the 1980s, Holland exhibited in New York, Brussels and Paris. In London, his work was shown at the Thumb Gallery (later known as the Jill George Gallery) from 1988, and also at the Albermarle Gallery. Since 1992, Holland has exhibited regularly at the Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff, where he has had several one-man shows. He has also had long associations with the Mineta Move gallery in Brussels and with Il Polittico in Rome.[4]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Holland created portraits of key workers, in recognition of the vital role of the National Health Service. Holland donated one painting to the Arts for Health and Wellbeing programme at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, saying that this was his way of saying thank you to the people who had cared for him since childhood and, most recently, had saved his life.[7]

A series of these paintings of essential workers, made during lockdown, formed part of Holland's 80th birthday exhibition which opened at the Martin Tinney Gallery on 16 September 2021.[8]

Collections

References
  1. "Harry Holland paintings on show in Cardiff exhibition". BBC News. 1 December 2016.
  2. Price, Karen (22 April 2010). "Harry Holland strips his paintings bare - Martin Tinney Gallery". WalesOnline.
  3. Lucie-Smith, Edward (2006). Harry Holland. Rome: Il Polittico.
  4. Lucie-Smith, Edward; Holland, Harry (1991). Harry Holland: The Painter and Reality. Art Books International. ISBN 978-0-946708-22-2.
  5. "Baltic Plus | British Art Show 1979". balticplus.uk.
  6. Packer, William (1978). Four Artists for the 80s. London: Vogue, Condé Nast.
  7. "Art Donation acknowledges challenging times". cardiffandvale.art.
  8. "Harry Holland – 80th Birthday Exhibition". www.artwales.com.
  9. "Holland, Harry, b.1941 | Art UK". artuk.org.
  10. "Self Portrait | Art UK". artuk.org.
  11. "Labyrinth | Art UK". artuk.org.
  12. "Milieu | Art UK". artuk.org.

Further reading
  • Lucie-Smith, Edward (1991) Harry Holland: The Painter and Reality. Arts Books International Ltd. ISBN 0-946708223
  • Lucie-Smith, Edward (2006) Harry Holland. Il Polittico
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