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Oliver Cain

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Oliver Cain is an English born/New Zealand Artist. His work changes, develops and covers a wide range of topics and materials. Cain’s work is diverse and can be made of anything and take any form. His artworks, crafted objects, sculptures, and installations, bear a certain physicality and push the boundaries between conceptualism and post-pop art. 

As proud member of the queer community, Cain uses his work to examine, question and criticize the relationships between gender, sexuality, and societies misconceptions about those themes. However, despite what it might look like to the contemporary spectator, a purely erotic and queer reading of the work would be misguided. There is a universal profundity at play revealing itself slowly for those willing to look and feel.

Cain’s work initiates a conversation between avant-garde artistic production and human perceptions about queer sexuality. The creative process is essential, and each piece of art has its own identity and reason to exist, born from intimate personal experiences. Appropriated everyday objects transform stereotypes and famous art historical references become twisted. 

Awards/Achievements:

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Kumeu Art Awards 3rd Prize 2023

World of Wearable Arts Finalist 2023

The Trust Awards 1st Prize (Waitakere Arts Trust) 2023

World of Wearable Arts Finalist 2022 & Second Prize for Monochromatic Category

Craig’s Investment Partners Art 3D Award - 2022 Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards 

AIMS Emerging Talent Award 2021

First Prize – National Youth Art Awards 2021

Highly Commended Kumeu Arts Award 2021

Highly Commended 2020 - ECC NZ Student Design/Craft Awards

Craig’s Investment Partners Art 3D Award - 2020 Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards

Touring finalist for The Wallace Art Awards 2020

Overall Supreme award - ECC 2019

Tuatara Ceramic Award - ECC 2019

Overall winner of the Eden Arts Award 2019

Touring finalist for The Wallace Art Awards 2019

Highly Commended 2018 - ECC NZ Student Design/Craft Awards

Finalist for The Wallace Art Awards 2018

Merit Award 2018 - Riley Consultant members competition

Merit Award 2018 - Royal Easter Show

GALLERIES/EXHIBITIONS SHOWN IN:

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2024

- Solo Show - Kouri + Corrao Gallery - USA

- Group Exhibition - Kumeu Art Awards  - Auckland NZ

- Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards 2023 - Whakatane NZ

- Solo Show - Ripe and Ready to Pick - Studio 1 - Auckland NZ

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2023

- Waiclay National Ceramic Exhibition 2023 - Hamilton NZ

- Kumeu Art Awards - Auckland NZ

- Group Show - 'Art Exhibition' - Auckland NZ

- Sculpture Onshore 2023 - Auckland NZ

- Waitakere Art Awards - Auckland NZ

- World of Wearable Arts 2023 - Wellington NZ

- Group Show 'Ghost' - Kouri + Corrao Gallery - USA 

- Small Sculpture Awards - Waikato Society of Arts - Hamilton NZ

- Small Sculpture Prize and exhibition - Auckland NZ

- Cleveland National Art Awards - Otago NZ

- Group Show – Bergman Gallery - Auckland NZ

- Public Installation – Te Uru Gallery, Canterbury City Gallery, Waikato Museum, Dowse Art Gallery

- Group Show - Pride – Bergman Gallery - Auckland NZ

- Solo Show - ‘Just a Little Gay’ – Lake House Arts – Auckland NZ

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2022

- Portage Ceramic Award 2022 Finalist – TeUru Gallery - Auckland NZ

- Public Installation - National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, The MET, Guggenheim, MOMA, Getty, Hammer Museum

- The Forsyth Barr Contemporary Ceramic Award - Nelson NZ

- World of Wearable arts – Wellington NZ

- Waitakere Arts Show - Auckland NZ

- Nelson Sculpture Awards – Wellington NZ

- Traffic Jam Gallery ‘Untitled’ – Group Show – Melbourne AU

- Hibiscus and Bays Art Awards - Auckland NZ

- Kumeu Art Awards Group Exhibition - Auckland NZ

- Solo Show ‘They Were Roommates’ – Auckland NZ

- Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards 2022 - Whakatane NZ

- National Youth Art Awards – Hamilton NZ 

- Group show – Oddly Projects Opening Show – Auckland NZ

- Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens Exhibition - Kaipara NZ

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2021

- Solo Show, The Nomadic Art Gallery -‘Nipple Twist’ – Leuven, Belgium

- Portage Ceramic Awards 2021 - Te Uru - Auckland NZ

- Sculpture Onshore - Virtual 

- NZ Contemporary Art Awards – Hamilton Museum - Hamilton NZ

- Emerging Practitioner in Clay Award - Quartz Museum of Studio Ceramics - Whanganui NZ

- Group Show Virtual - The Holy Art – UK

- Solo Show - ‘Body Filled Body Candy’ - Studio 1- Auckland NZ

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2021​

- Group Show Virtual - Galerie Biesenbach – Germany

- Galerie Biesenbach – Art Matters 3 online Group Show - Germany

- MADE - Mt Albert Art + design Exhibition - Auckland NZ

- Gallery Thirty Three - Ceramic show with Mandy Gargiulo - Wanaka NZ

- Auckland Art Fair - Auckland NZ

- Solo Show ft.Billy Apple, Föenander Galleries - ‘It’s a Boy’ - Auckland NZ

- Wallace Gallery Morrinsville (WAA) - Hamilton NZ

- Pātaka Art+Museum (WAA) - NZ

- Paragon Matter - Owhango Summer Sculpture Show - NZ

- Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens Exhibition - NZ

- Sarjeant Gallery – ‘Corner Dairy’ - NZ

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2020​

- The Dowse Art Museum - ECC NZ Student Design/Craft Awards - Wellington NZ

- Taranaki National Art Awards - Taranaki NZ

- Kings Collage Art Exhibition -  Auckland NZ

- Föenander Galleries – Solo Show ‘Relatively Fruity’ - Auckland NZ

- Par Homestead - Finalist for The Wallace Art Awards - Auckland NZ

- Mairangi Arts Centre - Auckland NZ

- Auckland Art Fair - Virtual 

- The Vivian - Matakana NZ

- Corban Estate Arts Centre – ‘Paint etc.’ - Auckland NZ

- Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards - Whakatane NZ

- Academy Galleries (WAA) - Queens Wharf - Wellington NZ

- Föenander Galleries – ‘small work salon’ - Auckland NZ

- Millers O’Brien – ‘Graduation Show’ - Wellington NZ

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2019

- Föenander Galleries - Group show - ‘Ida Soleil’ - Auckland NZ

- Wallace Gallery Morrinsville (WAA) - Hamilton NZ

- The Dowse Art Museum - ECC NZ Student Design/ Craft Awards - Auckland NZ

- Par Homestead - Finalist for The Wallace Art Awards - Auckland NZ

- NKB Gallery - Auckland NZ

- Parnell Gallery - Auckland NZ

- Webbs - Eden Arts 2019 - Auckland NZ

- Lake House Arts - Ceramic Showcase - Auckland NZ

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