b. 1977 Gosford/Darkinjung, Australia . Lives and works Brisbane/Meanjin, Australia
Julie Fragar is an Australian artist and painter. Her work is held in major public collections including the Art Gallery of New South Wales (Sydney); Art Gallery of South Australia (Adelaide); and the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art (Brisbane). She has undertaken several Australia Council for the Arts funded projects and residencies, has been the recipient of major awards and institutional commissions. Fragar completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Hons) and a Master of Fine Art at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney and a PhD at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University where she is Associate Professor in Visual Arts.
2013
PhD, Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, Brisbane.
2001-2002
Master of Visual Arts, Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney.
1995-1998
Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney, Bachelor of Visual Arts (Hons Class 1)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
Put Your Hands Together, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
2022-2024
Julie Fragar: Biograph, Survey exhibition touring to Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, University of Sunshine Coast Art Museum, Tweed Regional Gallery and Rockhampton Museum of Art. Curated by Jonathan McBurnie.
2022
Last Night I had a Dream and There Were Three of Me (two-person exhiibtion with Justene Williams), Milani Gallery Carpark Space, Brisbane.
2021
Wash Your Face in Cold Water, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
2020
The Cut, Contemporary Art Tasmania, Hobart.
2018, 2019
Next Witness, Sarah Cottier Gallery and Queensland Supreme Court Library, (curated by Angela Goddard and Charla Strelan) Sydney and Brisbane.
2017
Trial Paintings: Life Narratives from the Supreme Court of Queensland, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
2016
Grey Paintings, NKN Gallery, Melbourne.
2014
Julie Fragar New Work, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
2013
God and the Universe or Whatever, Bruce Heiser Gallery, Brisbane.
Marathon Boxing and Dog Fights, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
2012
Poking the Ghost Skin, Block Projects, Melbourne.
2011
The Albatross and a Mountain Man, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
2010
Meet Me At An Arms Length, Bruce Heiser Gallery, Brisbane.
2009
The Oracles, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
2009
Your Place and/or Mine, MSSR Projects, Brisbane.
2008
LIAR, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
2007
MAN, Peloton, Sydney.
2005
NOWNO NOTNOW NOW, Mori Gallery, Sydney.
2004
Is Anyone Here A ... , Mori Gallery, Sydney.
2003
Julie Fragar On Thin Ice, Mori Gallery, Sydney.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
Group Show, curated by Sophia Whitney-Hewson, Mars Gallery Melbourne.
2022
The Female Gaze, Tweed Regional Gallery.
Zombie Eaters, Murray Art Museum, Albury.
2021
Last Night I had a dream and There Were Three of Me, (collaboration with Justene Williams), Carpark, Milani Gallery, Brisbane.
Archibald Prize 2021 (Portrait of Richard Bell, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
2019
The National: Contemporary Australian Art, curated by Daniel Mudie Cunningham, Carriageworks, Sydney.
MOP Projects 2003-2016, Artspace, Sydney NSW.
2018
Curatorial Project, FADED: Painting Toward the Invisible, POP Gallery, Brisbane.
2017
Flat Earth Society: Matthys Gerber, Jenny Watson, Archie Moore, Fiona Lowry, David M Thomas, Paul Bai and Julie Fragar, POP, Brisbane.
National Self-Portrait Prize, curated by Glenn Barkley and Holly Williams, University of Queensland Art Museum.
Ramsey Art Prize, Art Gallery of South Australia.
2016
Kilgour Art Prize, Newcastle Regional Gallery.
Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize, curated by Mikala Dwyer, National Art School Sydney.
2015
Spring Art Fair (with Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney), Establishment Hotel, Sydney.
GOMA Q: Contemporary Queensland Art, QAG/GOMA, Brisbane.
Writing Art, Artspace, Sydney.
Between the Lines, Verge Gallery, University of Sydney.
Art and Text, University of Sydney.
Radical Romanticism, Crane Art Centre, Philadelphia.
2014
TEXiT, Institute of Contemporary Art (ICAN), Sydney.
Now the Heart is Filled with Gold … , curated by Glenn Barkely, Arts Project, Melbourne.
GOLD ART AWARD, Rockhampton Regional Gallery, Rockhampton.
1883 Spring Art Fair, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Melbourne.
Now the heart is filled with gold as if it were a purse, Arts Project Australia, Curated by Glenn Barkley, - Contributing Artist
2013
Group Show #26, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
Special Moves, curated by Jonathan McBurnie, MOP, Sydney NSW.
The Imperceptible Something, Caboolture Regional Art Gallery, Caboolture QLD.
2012
Animal Human, University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane.
2011
Australia Felix, Crane Arts Centre, Philadelphia.
In Great Trouble: The Traumatic Australian Landscape, Bondi Pavillion Gallery, Sydney.
O, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
Femmes and Hommes, John Buckley Gallery, Melbourne.
2010
Primavera 10, curated by Katie Dyer, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney and touring to QUT Art Museum.
WILDERNESS: Balnaves Contemporary Painting, curated by Wayne Tunniciffe, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
Twenty/20, UTS Gallery, Sydney.
The Brisbane Line, The Narrows, Melbourne.
B&W, Sarah Cottier Galley, Sydney.
Gaze, Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland, Brisbane.
2009
Temperature 2: New Brisbane Art, Museum of Brisbane.
New Order: Emergent Queensland Artists, Redcliffe Regional Gallery, Brisbane.
Julie Fragar: Your Place and/or Mine - MSSR Brisbane.
New Order: 14 Emergent Queensland Artist, Curated by Emma Lindsay, Redcliffe City Gallery, Brisbane.
I Have Not Been Myself Lately, curated by Jo Duke and Chris Handran, Griffith University Gallery, Brisbane.
2008
New Moon, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.
Rimbaud/Rambo, Neon Parc, Melbourne
OPTIMISM: Contemporary Australia, Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane
Home, Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore City NSW
Gifted: New to the Griffith University Art Collection, DELL Gallery, Queensland College of Art, Brisbane, QLD – other contributing artists: Howard Arkley, Gordon Bennet, and Tony Albert.
Drawings of Love & Hate, Circle Gallery, Brisbane QLD – Contributing Artist
2007
The Heavier We Get, curated by Wes Hill, Raw Space, Brisbane.
2006
Girl Band, curated by Barbara Flynn, Deloitte, Sydney.
Charge To Slow (Fiona Lowry and Julie Fragar), MOP Projects, Sydney.
2005
ABN Amro Emerging Artists Award, (Winner) ABN Amro, Sydney.
Idiosyncrasy, curated by Alison Kubler and Rosemary Hawker, The Queensland Centre for Photography, Brisbane.
2004
Adrift,Queensland Centre for Photography, Brisbane.
Blur, (in collaboration with Paul Wrigley), curated by Steven Alderton, Redland Art Gallery.
Two For One, MOP Projects, Sydney.
ABN AMRO Emerging Artist Award, Finalist, ABN AMRO, Sydney.
2003
Archibald Prize 03, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
Michael Zavros, Susan Norrie and Julie Fragar, Mori Gallery, Sydney.
Working From Home, Grunt Gallery, Vancouver, Canada.
WYWH, curated by Emil Goh, First Draft Gallery, Sydney.
Minilab, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney.
This is Paint, Wren Gallery, Sydney.
Journal Journey, Grunt Gallery, Vancouver BC.
LOG, MOP Gallery, Sydney NSW
2002
Briefcase 50, Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney.
Deskjob, curated by Julie Fragar, Fiona Lowry and Piers Greville, Mori Gallery, Sydney.
Blue Lotus Project #4, curated by Kyle Jenkins, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney.
Fuck art, Let’s thrash: Group Stencil Show, Wren Gallery, Sydney.
2001
1m x 1m, Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney.
Parallel Structures, curated by David Pestorius, Brisbane, 200 Gertrude St, Melbourne.
Box, Gallery Wren, Sydney.
Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney.
Art Castle, Rodney Street, Dover Heights. Artists included: Fiona Lowry, Clare Healey and Sean Cordeiro, Tim Douglas, Rebecca McIntosh and others.
Parallel Structures, Southbank BNE QLD, Exhibited within the works of Matthys Gerber, Curated by David Pestorious
2000
Sharper- 9 x Paintings, 3 x Artists, Michael Zavros, Julie Fragar and Matthew Ryan, Gosford Regional Art Gallery, Gosford.
Cia Guo- Quiang Project, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Biennale of Sydney.
Sebastian: Contemporary Realist Painting, touring QLD, NSW and VIC.
Cai Guo Qiang Project, Biennale of Sydney (contributing performer to Cai-Guo Qiang project) Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney.
2000
Sharper, Gosford Regional Gallery and Arts Centre – with Michael Zavros and Matthew Ryan
Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
Sebastian: Contemporary Realist painting, curated by Alison Kubler, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Gold Coast QLD – Contributing artist, toured – Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Sutherlands Regional Gallery, Orange Regional Gallery, Noosa Regional Gallery, Toowoomba Regional Gallery, Hervey Bay Regional Gallery
One Last Show – Goodbye from Gallery 19, Gallery 19, Sydney NSW
1999
Al Eisen Inventor, Herringbone Gallery, Sydney.
Shiny, Curated by Julie Fragar, Gallery 132, Sydney.
1998
Matthys Gerber, CBD Gallery, Sydney
1998 Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H Ervin Gallery, Observatory Hill, Sydney.
Boring, Julie Fragar and Alison Ritch, Gallery 19, Sydney.
Selected Collections
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane
Artbank
Devonport Regional Art Gallery
Gold Coast City Art Gallery
Caboolture Regional Art Gallery
Tweed River Art Gallery
Pine Rivers Regional Art Gallery
Monash University Art Museum, Melbourne
Griffith University Art Museum, Brisbane
University of Queensland, Brisbane
Queensland University of Technology Art Museum, Brisbane
Numerous Private collections.
Selected Prizes, Grants and Awards
2021 - Arts, English Law, Griffith University Reseacrh Development Grant (with Prof. Susan Best)
2020 - Sylvia Jones Award for Women Artists (Brisbane Portrait Prize)
2019- 2020 - Australia Council Arts Projects for Individuals Grant
2017 - Ramsey Art Prize (Lipman Karas Award)
Queensland State Government, Parliament House Commission.
Griffith Centre for Creative Arts Research, Research Development Grant (with Dr. Karen Crawley of Griffith Law School)
2016 - Tidal: City of Devonport National Art Award
Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize (finalist).
Australia Council Arts Projects for Individuals Grant
2014 - Australia Council New Work Grant
2013 – Winner Pine Rivers Art Award
2009 - Australia Council for the Arts Studio Residency (Barcelona).
2006-2009 - Griffith University Graduate Research Scholarship
2005 - Winner 2005 ABN Amro Emerging Artist Award
Winner 2005 ABN Amro Employees Choice Award
2002 - NSW Artists Marketing Scheme Grant.
University Post-Graduate Award, University of Sydney.
2001 - Freedman Foundation Traveling Scholarship for Emerging Artists.
Roche Contemporary Art Prize, (2nd Prize).
Writing & Bibliography
Downes, B (2023
Hill, W (2023)
Hawker, R and Elisabeth Findlay (2022)
Parker, F (2022)
Martin-Chew, L (2023)
Ewington J (2021)
Bratchford, D and Hon. Justice Thomas Bradley, Next Witness catalogue essays, 2019.
Hyatt-Johnson. H.R. Julie Fragar: Profile Artist Profile, 2018
