Curriculum Vitae
Bio
Artist Bio
Aarone Neill is an Irish-Australian sculptor and painter, working between Gadigal land in Sydney, Australia, and Hillsborough, County Down in Northern Ireland. Born in 1979 along the picturesque Down coast, his multidisciplinary practice is deeply influenced by the natural landscape of his youth and his formative years during The Troubles. Reflecting on this time, he notes, "It was a beautiful childhood, in a place of beauty, at a time of violence."
Aarone’s work is shaped by his experiences of living in a divided society and his profound connection to the natural world. His practice reflects a desire to find beauty and meaning amidst conflict and adversity, exploring the subtle interplay between discord and harmony.
His sculptures and encaustic paintings are immersive, engaging both physically and emotionally. His materials—delicate yet resilient, including beeswax, steel, and found objects—reveal the contradictions within their form: a sheet of steel hanging weightlessly; a murmuration of translucent boxes suspended in air; a door leaning awkwardly against a wall; a wasps’ nest cast in bronze, quietly becoming; layers of molten wax, creating depth and tactility. Each piece speaks to the quiet beauty found in transformation.
Through his work, Aarone brings together past and present, creating meditative spaces where memory and material intertwine.
Formal Art Education and Awards
Major Award: Aboriginal Art Centre Internship, Tapatjatjaka Arts, Titjikala, Northern Territory (2022)
KNULP Solo Exhibition Prize, Sydney (2022)
National Art School, Sydney (2019 -2021)
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, majoring in Sculpture
Holywood Rudolf Steiner School, Northern Ireland (1997)
O Level Art and Design
Exhibitions
Portraits of Place
Australian Galleries, Sydney (2023)
Solo Show, In This Shirt: Door
KNULP Gallery, Sydney (2022)
Queer Contemporary Exhibition, Metonymymesis
National Art School (2022)
BFA Grad Show, In This Shirt
National Art School, Sydney, 2022
BFA Grad Show Drawing Exhibition, Uncommissioned
National Art School, Sydney, 2022
Group Show, barefoot
Sculptures in the Garden, Mudgee, 2021
Margaret Olley Drawing Exhibition
Rayner Hoff Project Space, 2021
Group Show, Pink in the Middle
Sculptures in the Garden, Mudgee, 2020
Margaret Olley Drawing Exhibition
Rayner Hoff Project Space, 2020
Group Show, Lady Daffodil
Sculptures in the Garden, Mudgee, 2019