Artist Bio
Tristan Liao is an Australian artist born in 1983 of Chinese, Scottish and English descent whose studio is based in Melbourne / Naarm. A primary school teacher by training, his practise as a Naïve artist began in 2021. Initially working primarily with ink and paint marker pens on paper and canvas he progressed to pyrography on wood in early 2022. A non-classically trained artist, Tristan continues to follow an unconventional artistic journey that explores the blurred delineation of artist and artwork. His first pyrography work ‘Lost and Found, Found and Lost’ received an award for Best Non-Traditional Artwork from The Camberwell Art Show. Following this his pyrography work ‘Hollow’ was accepted as a Finalist in the Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize in 2023. Tristan’s first solo exhibition titled ‘Trusting the Way’ was also held at Malvern Artist Society Gallery in 2023.
Artist Statement
Tristan Liao’s practice reflects a deep engagement with subconsciously sourced insights and narratives formed by intuition, synchronistic events and bespoke esoteric practises. When working, the artist’s use of the element of fire through pyrography, invokes a primal directive, fuelling the desire to express the unfathomable and ineffable aspects of the human experience. The resulting raucous of idiosyncratic lines, forms and symbols serves to further imbue his works with chaotic intensity. Collaboration with various practitioners of esoterica through discourse, ritual and ceremony forms a fertile ground that continues to inspire, guide and inform the artist’s practice. This leads to works that confront the viewer with feelings of uncertainty, complexity and a subtle recognition of that which cannot be solely experienced by the rational mind. An offering to become aware of the potential contained in these spaces to enrich the human experience through increased sensitivity, awareness and integration.
Artist CV
Solo Exhibitions
2023 Trusting the Way – The Way of Trust - Malvern Artist Society Gallery
Group Exhibitions
2025 (forthcoming) Ritual Eternal, Project 8 Gallery, Melbourne
2023 Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing
2022 Camberwell Art Show - Swinbourne University of Technology
Awards
2023 Finalist Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing
2022 Prize for Best Non-Traditional Artwork - Camberwell Art Show