Artist Bio

Drawing from periods of solitude and field research in remote parts of Australia, as well as international residencies across the natural and urban environments of Japan, Brett Piva translates organic markings onto architectural surfaces and industrial substrates. His work brings the natural and synthetic into dialogue, exploring how each can reflect, disrupt and transform the qualities of the other.

Reflection is an enduring theme within his practice of reverse gold leaf gilding on glass, verre églomisé. The viewer’s reflection becomes incorporated into the artwork, creating an immersive experience that shifts between the physical environment and the viewer’s own memories and perceptions. 

Brett Piva is a Newcastle-based painter, sculptor, installation artist and muralist whose practice explores the intersection between the natural landscape and the manufactured surfaces of urbanised space.

Piva’s work has been exhibited across Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. He has been a finalist in many art prizes, including the MAC Yapang Art Prize and Gosford Art Prize.  His work is held in many private collections along with significant institutions such as Gosford Regional Art Gallery and The University of Newcastle. 

Piva has completed three artist residencies in Japan, a self-funded photography residency in France, and numerous programs throughout Australia. His most significant undertaking was a self-directed residency in winter 2021, during which he travelled the length of the Murrumbidgee River, documenting the landscape and his experience. This residency is an ongoing body of work focusing on his culture and a unique rural upbringing in a remote region of New South Wales.

His public art practice has seen him create large-scale works across the country, including projects associated with the Museum of Art and Culture yapang – Lake Macquarie, Maitland Regional Art Gallery and Gosford Regional Art Gallery. In 2024 he worked with Australia’s largest regional medical research institute, HMRI, to create an installation at the organisations entrance. The same year, Piva was invited to create a collaborative large-scale work at the entrance of The Other Art Fair in Sydney.

Through both his artistic practice and community work, Piva continues to advocate for the value of place, cultural exchange, collaboration and lived experience, connecting the natural environment with the built world and creating opportunities for artists and communities to engage with one another.

Visual Artist

Sculptor

Muralist

Producer

Curator

  • 2025 Gosford Art Prize Finalist. (Artwork Acquired). Gosford Regional Gallery.

    2025 MAC Yapang Art Prize Finalist. Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie.

    2023 Gosford Art Prize Finalist. Gosford Regional Gallery.

    2022 Works on Paper Prize Finalist. Blackstone Gallery.

    2011 Peoples Choice. Two Tone Exhibition. The Roost Gallery

  • 2025 Gosford Regional Gallery. Central Coast Council Collection

    2019 The University of Newcastle Private Collection

  • 2025 Cold Knuckles at Crossroads. Straitjacket Gallery. Newcastle

    2025 Studio Kura Residency Exhibition. Itoshima Japan

    2024 Material Drift. Duo Show. Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne

    2023 Epitomes Shared from a V-Bottom Tinnie. Straitjacket Gallery. Newcastle

    2023 Solice in Condensed Alabaster. Akakura Onsen, Japan

    2020 NO SHOW. Onwards Gallery. Newcastle

    2020 Studio Kura Residency Exhibition. Itoshima Japan

    2019 Shelter Amongst The Ancient River Reds. Onwards Gallery. Newcastle

    2016 For The Devil Down South. Good Space Gallery. Sydney

    2014 Five Days of Decay. Edwards Gallery. Newcastle

  • 2019-2026 COLLECT. The Lock Up Art Space. Newcastle

    2026 Objects At Rest. Superwow Gallery. Sunshine Coast

    2025 Assembly. Jacky Winter Gallery. Melbourne

    2025 Please Believe. Easy Mark Gallery. Melbourne

    2025 Artist Residency Reflections. Onwards Gallery. Newcastle

    2022-2025 Summer Salon. Straitjacket Gallery. Newcastle

    2025 Silver & Cold. Wester Gallery. Newcastle

    2024 Alternating the Cube. Museum of Art and Culture. Lake Macquarie

    2024 Just My Type. Outré Gallery. Melbourne

    2019-2024 Out For Summer + Studio Exhibitions. Onwards gallery. Newcastle

    2023 Fifty Squared. Brunswick Street Gallery. Melbourne

    2022 DARLINGS. Curatorial & Co. Sydney

    2022 ONE Launch. One Gallery. Sydney

    2022 LOCUS. Blackstone Gallery. Newcastle

    2022 Arts for Health. John Hunter Hospital Gallery. Newcastle

    2022 Nothing can stop us now. Wester Gallery. Newcastle

    2021 ArtAid Launch. ArtAid. Sydney

    2021 Ordinary Intricacies. Watt Space Gallery. Newcastle

    2019 The End Again, Again, Again. Georgetown Shitty Shed. Newcastle

    2019 Trespass Exhibition. Onwards Gallery. Newcastle

    2019 Divergence. Third Quarter Gallery. Brisbane

    2018 The End Again Exhibition. Georgetown Shitty Shed. Newcastle

    2018 Art On Decks Exhibition. Softy’s Gallery. Newcastle 

    2017 The End Exhibition. Georgetown Shitty Shed. Newcastle

    2017 Deeper Voice of Textiles. Sculpture Exhibit. Newcastle

    2016 Back to The Future Exhibition. Abicus. Newcastle

    2016 First impressions - Pumphouse Gallery, Newcastle

    2015 Director’ Choice. Gallery 139. Newcastle

    2015 Recovery Charity Exhibition. Saluna. Newcastle

    2015 Look See, Good vs Evil. The Lock Up Art Space. Newcastle

    2014 Look See, Music & Lyrics. The Lock Up Art Space. Newcastle

    2014 PVS Show-card Show. Previnylites Society. New York

  • 2025 Gosford Regional Gallery. Gosford

    2025 Jesmond Central. Newcastle

    2025 Salamander Bay Recycling. Port Stephens

    2024 The Other Art Fair. Sydney

    2024 Hunter Medical Research Institute. Newcastle

    2024 Shoal Bay Village. Port Stephens Council

    2024 Beaumont Street Mosaics. Newcastle

    2023 King & Bolton St residential exterior commission. Newcastle

    2022 Museum of Art and Culture. Lake Macquarie

    2022 Westfield Entertainment Precinct. Kotara NSW

    2022 Skelcon Headquarters. Newcastle

    2022 GWH Development Headquarters. Newcastle

    2022 Care Foresight Doctors Surgery. Hamilton  

    2021 Wangi Wangi Library Creative Hub. Lake Macquarie 

    2021 The Big Picture Festival. Melbourne

    2021 Dullwich Hill residential exterior commission. Sydney

    2021 Coassemble. Newcastle

    2021 Cardiff Heights residential exterior commission. Newcastle

    2019 The Corner, Charlestown Square. Newcastle

    2019 Maitland Regional Art Gallery. Maitland

    2019 Casino Council Lettering Mural. Richmond Valley 

    2019 Banna Lane Festival. Griffith

    2019 Third Quarter Gallery. Brisbane

    2019 VANS: House of Vans Skateboarding. Sydney

    2018 Fish Lane Festival. Brisbane

    2017 Salty Dog Hotel Bitumen Mural. Tasmania

    2017 Hudson St Hum. Newcastle

    2017 Surf Life Saving, Blacksmiths Beach. Lake Macquarie

    2017 First Coat Intl’ Arts Festival. Toowoomba

    2017 Thrashville Festival Crowd Mural. Dashville, Hunter Valley

    2016 Good Space Gallery. Sydney

    2016 Gumball Festival Stage Mural. Dashville, Hunter Valley

    2016 First Coat Intl’ Arts Festival. Toowoomba

    2016 Gumball Festival Bar Mural. Dashville, Hunter Valley

  • 2017-2025 Onwards Gallery. Founder, Director and Curator. Newcastle

    2015-2020 MAKE IT—MADE IT Arts Conference. Founder, Director + Curator. Newcastle

    2022 LOCUS group exhibition. Co-Curator. Blackstone Gallery. Newcastle

    2016 First Impression Exhibition. Curator. Pumphouse Gallery. Newcastle

    2014 Four Walls. Curator. Pocket Design Studio Gallery, Newcastle

    2012 Time & Place Gallery. Co-Director and Curator. Newcastle

  • 2025 Studio Kura. Artist Residency. Itoshima, Japan

    2023 Myoko. Artist Residency. Akakura Onsen, Japan

    2021 Murrumbidgee River Residency. NSW, ACT and VIC

    2020 Studio Kura. Artist Residency. Itoshima, Japan

    2016 Tassie Design Shack. Artist Residency. Taranna, Tasmania

    2015 Rue De Belleville. Artist Residency. Paris 

    2014 Edwards Gallery Residency. Newcastle.

Producing and Curatorial Bio

Alongside his studio practice, Brett Piva has made an ongoing contribution to the arts community in Newcastle and regional Australia. He has founded collaborative creative spaces, directed community events and mentored emerging artists, with a particular focus on creating opportunities for connection and knowledge sharing. He founded and directed Onwards Gallery in Hamilton, NSW, establishing a gallery, artist studios and shared creative environment for local artists, makers and designers. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, he created the Onwards Art Mini Mart, a monthly initiative that supported 100’s of local creatives, musicians and small businesses by providing opportunities for connection, exposure and financial support during a period of significant uncertainty. He previously co-founded TIME & PLACE Gallery to support local talent and create new opportunities for emerging artists in Newcastle.

Piva is the founder of MAKE IT—MADE IT Conference, which brings together established and emerging artists, designers and creative practitioners from Newcastle, interstate and internationally to share their work, knowledge and experiences with the local creative community. It served as a platform for artists and creative practitioners to share insights and discuss the realities of building a sustainable creative practice through creative talks, exhibitions, panel discussions, film screenings and satellite events bringing together prominent national and regional creative talent.