The Artist

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Rowena Martinich recontextualises the tradition of abstract expressionism, upscaling and positioning it into diverse public and private locations, and transforming once ordinary spaces into luscious colour-scapes. In the studio Martinich is driven by process. Her paintings are constantly shifting and evolving, building on each other to reflect a particular interest in the technical capacity of paint, each new body of work displaying a curiosity in the application of fluid layers. Informed by years of painting, Martinich works intuitively to create seemingly spontaneous and playful yet balanced compositions; rich in luminous colour and gesture. Often, Martinich’s works are found in unexpected places; stairwells, train stations, building façades…out of the grey mundanity of the urban landscape, colour leaps from the walls; ‘I love that saturating the retinas of my audience can momentarily distract them enough that they can have a dose of pure joy, where they are immersed in the energy that my artwork is imbued with, where the physicality of its creation is visually depicted through giant sweeping brushstrokes and liquescent expression.’

The vibrant abstract expressionist works of Rowena Martinich span the realms of public art, painting installations, permanent and temporary interventions, murals within streetscapes, awe inspiring architectural applications and powerful compositions on canvas.

Martinich has worked extensively with Australia’s leading architects and interior designers to create bespoke immersive art experiences in both domestic and commercial environments. Her artwork has been sought after by major clients globally, such as Nike, Facebook, Mecca Cosmetica, Mirvac, Bombay Sapphire and The National Gallery of Victoria to name a few.

Creating landmark works that change how the public visually engage with their environment inspires Martinich and has lead her to travel to create major public works and exhibitions in France, Italy, Turkey, China, the UK and the United States.

Public Art Projects

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2020 Passage, 140 square metre ceiling mural, Moonee Ponds Central

2020 Laneway Mural, Villawood Properties & City of Greater Bendigo, Bendigo

2018 Colourscape, Kere Kere Cafe, Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne

2018 Adornment, Mural, Little India Precinct, Dandenong

2017 Niddrie Mural, Keilor Rd, Niddrie - Melbourne

2016 ‘Vibrant Possibilities’ Collaborative Mural, St Catherines School, Toorak

2016 Ovation Collaborative Mural, Ovation Cruise Ship
2016 Shipping Container Mural, NightJar Festival, Torquay

2015 Mary Davis Centre Painting Installation Project, St Catherines School, Toorak 

2015 Hop for Hope, The Alannah & Madeline Foundation, Yarra Valley Chocolaterie 

2015 Brooklynk Residency Mural Projects, Brooklyn & Washington Heights, New York City

2013 Balmoral Regional Mural Project, Balmoral, Victoria, March

2012 To Sile with Love, Sile, Istanbul, Turkey

2012 Eureka Level 89 – Live Painting Performance, Eureka Tower, Southbank

2012 Chromablitz Dandenong Market, Drum Theatre, & Thomas Street, Dandenong

2012 Obus / LMFF Wall Painting – Obus Flagship Store, Flinders Ln, Melbourne

2011 Quirk & Co. Public Artwork Commission, North Melbourne

2011 Apsley Regional Mural Project, Apsley, Victoria

2011 Melbourne Central Live Painting Project, Melbourne Central, Melbourne CBD 

2011 Trust Project, Curzon Place, North Melbourne (City of Melbourne)

2011 Gertrude Projection Festival, Gertrude St, Fitzroy

2011 Dagmar Rousset Exhibition & Window Installation, Dagmar Rousset, Fitzroy 

2010 Sile/Istanbul – Europe’s Capital of Culture Public Art Project, Turkey

2010 POD Project, Incinerator Arts Complex, Moonee Ponds

2010 Chromacut, Signal Building, Northbank, Melbourne

2010 Chromaphos, Euroluce, 20 Russell St, Melbourne

2009 Viachroma, Dandenong Station, Dandenong

2009 Winter Art Projection, Thomas Street, City of Greater Dandenong

2008 Italy Project, Monash University Prato Centre, Palazzo Vaj, Italy

2008 Common Gesture, Painting Installation, RMIT University Building 15

2008 Window Painting, De/personalising the Studio, City of Greater Dandenong 

2008 The Works Painting Installation, Burwood Rd Hawthorn

2008 Building 50 Painting Installation, RMIT University, Orr Street Carlton

2007 China Project, Shaanxi University of Fashion and Art, Xian Yang, China

2006 Snow Show, Public Art Project, Mt Buller

Corporate Projects / Commissions

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2019 Equinox, Live Painting for Architectural Information Services, Royal Exhibition Buildings 

2019 Mantra Epping, Artwork for hotel in collaboration with Geoffrey Carran

2018/19 Eleven Australia, Brand collaboration

2018 Point Lonsdale House, painting installation

2017 Arthouse, Mirvac QLD, Arts precinct, Hope St Southbank, Brisbane

2017 C3 Property Development, Bensons Property Group, Sydney Rd, Brunswick 

2016 Most Imaginative Bartenders Competition – Event mural performance, Bombay Sapphire, London

2016 Barton Street Project, painting installation

2015 Four Tonne Project, Four Winds Vineyard, Canberra

2015 Nike Player Space - Australian Open, Melbourne CBD

2014 Time Architects Boardroom Project, Leicester St, Carlton 

2014 Dulux 2014 Colour Forecast

2013 Stratus Property Development Foyer, Lygon Street, Brunswick

2013 Mutual Store Apartment Building Foyer, Degreaves Street Melbourne CBD 

2013 Moore St Studio, Fitzroy

2012 Mecca Cosmetica – 40 Stores Nationally, Myer Windows

Solo Exhibitions

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2018 Colourboss, Ozdare Creative Space, Cromwell Street Collingwood

2017 Rowena Martinich, Hunting for George, Wangaratta St, Richmond

2014 Inamorata, Koskela, Rosebery, Sydney

2011 Colour Storm, Area, Brunswick Street Fitzroy

2010 Common Gesture Subdivision, Area, Brunswick St Fitzroy

2008 Process Paintings, Sale Regional Art Gallery, Sale, Gippsland

2007 New Work, Area, Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

2005 Try Some Raspberri? Absolut Art, The Metropol, Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

2005 Leaf Morphogenesis, [MARS] Melbourne Art Rooms, Bay Street, Pt Melbourne

Group Exhibitions

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2020 Broadsheet Bushfire Fundraiser, Live Painting, NGV, Melbourne
2020 Summer Projects VII, Boom Gallery, Geelong

2019 Affordable Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Buildings, Carlton

2015 Southern Skies, XY Atelier Gallery, Lower East Side, New York City

2015 Hop for Hope, Charity Fundraising Exhibition for the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Icecreamery, Yarra Valley

2014 The Big Design Market, Royal Exhibition Buildings, Carlton

2014 Finders Keepers, Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton

2013 The Big Design Market, Royal Exhibition Buildings, Carlton

2013 New Works, Tigerfish, Bell Street, Torquay

2013 Design Made Trade, Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Southbank

2012 Jardan Exhibition, Saturday in Design, Rokeby Studios, Collingwood

2012 Design Made Trade, Royal Exhibition Buildings, Carlton

2012 Design Futures, Design & Decoration, Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Southbank

2012 Art Melbourne, Melbourne Art Fair – Royal Exhibition Buildings, Carlton

2012 Fluoresce, National Gallery of Victoria – NGV Studio Residency, Fed Square

2011 Design Made Trade, Royal Exhibition Buildings Melbourne

2011 Art Melbourne, Royal Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne

2009 Cross Cultural Mural Project, Area, Brunswick Street, Fitzroy