The eye lingers on each element of the scenery, on each face. Everything within the enclosed pictorial space tells its own story ; unity of time, unity of place, yet multiplicity of inner Worlds and states of mind.
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Rebecca Driffield is an Australian artist based in Paris since 1986.
As a figurative artist, she is predominantly concerned with the portrayal of the human face, exploring the unspoken messages contained in the regard. Her works are expressionistic and often contain rich narratives of psychological depth built into cinematic compositions. Driffield summons within her work a rich variety of art forms, from cinema and comic-strip to music and literature.
Driffield exhibits internationally in galleries, artfairs and museums around the world. Her paintings are in the permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery, the Tavistock Institute, the British Institute of Psychoanalysis and the BBC in London, the Frissiras Museum in Athens, as well as in private collections across Europe, Australia, Russia, Cambodia and the USA.
Exhibitions
2023
• Inauguration show for the reopening of the National Portrait Gallery London
• Solo Show, Zookeeper Paris, Paris, France
2019
• "BLUE CHIP XXI: THE COLLECTORS' EXHIBITION", Niagara Galleries, Melbourne, Australia
• BP Portrait Award Exhibition tour, UK:
• - Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
• - Winchester Discovery Centre, Winchester
2018
• Solo Show, Zookeeper Paris, Paris, France
• "Face to face", Cass Art Islington, London, UK
• BP Portrait Award Exhibition tour, UK :
• - National Portrait Gallery, London
• - Wolverhampton Art Gallery
• "Evasion#1" with Dépôt Art Gallery and Philippos Vazakas, Espace Christiane Peugeot, Paris, France
• ARTBOX.PROJECT (Zurich, Switzerland) stand at Armory Artweeks, New York City, USA
2017
"MigrArtion" with Melkart Galerie, Espace Christiane Peugeot, Paris, France
2016
• "Sixième Sens", Melkart Galerie, Paris, France
• "Elles", Frissiras Museum, Athens, Greece
2015
Solo Show, Cloisters Temple, London, UK
2014
• Exhibition with The Pearl of Albion, Red Lion Street, London, UK
• Solo Show, Galerie BE-Espace, Paris, France
2013
• Solo Show, Galerie Pierce, Paris, France
• Art Auction, Hôtel Arturo Lopez, Neuilly-Sur-Seine, France
2012
• “Next Generation”, The National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
• “Music in paintings”, Galerie Boissière+Gomendio, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
2011
• “Mystery postcards”, The National Portrait Gallery, London
• Solo Show, Galerie Pierce, Paris, France
2010
• Exhibition at Galerie Marceau, Nantes, France
• Solo Show, Thanassis Frissiras Gallery stand, ArtAthina, Athens, Greece
2008
• Tallinn Winter Exhibition for the Children of Narva, Tamm Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
• 22nd Big Prize of Paintings, Saint- Grégoire, France
• Solo Show, Thanassis Frissiras Gallery stand, ArtAthina, Athens, Greece
• Solo Exhibition, Charles Hewitt Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2007
• Exhibition at Studio Véronique de Guitarre, Saint-Germain-des-prés, Paris, France
• Galerie Pierce stand, ArtLondon Art fair, London, UK
• “AIDES”, Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France
• Portia Geach Portrait Prize Exhibition, S.H.Ervin Gallery, Sydney, Australia (selected as finalist)
• Thanassis Frissiras Gallery stand, ArtAthina, Athens, Greece
• Autumn Exhibition, Charles Hewitt Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2006
• “Mystery postcards : 150th Anniversary Gala”, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
• ”Anthropography”, Frissiras Museum, Athens, Greece
2005
• “The Figure Show", Jill George Gallery, London, UK
• “Fresh Ground” inaugural exhibition, Thanassis Frissiras Art Gallery, Athens, Greece
• “Star Portraits”, BBC series exhibition tour, UK:
- County Hall Gallery, London
- New Walk Art Gallery, Leicester
- Naughton Gallery Queens University, Belfast
- Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead
- New Art Gallery, Walsall
• "Art Contemporain”, Art auction, Drouot, Paris, France
• “The Frissiras Collection”, Frisira Museum, Spanbroek, Netherlands
• Solo Show, Thanassis Frissiras Gallery, Athens, Greece
2003
Selected as 1 of 12 artists to paint for 1 of the 4 programs, BBC series "Star Portraits"
2001
• Solo Show, Galerie Jean Boucher, Cesson-Sevigny, France
• Solo Show, Le Présidial Cultural Center, Quimperlé, France
2000
• “Kuturaustausch 2000” Berlin/Paris,, Berlin, Germany
• Inaugural Exhibition, Frissiras Museum, Athens, Greece
1999
• BP Portrait Award Exhibition, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
1998
• "Paris-Chili", Le Génie de la Bastille, Paris, France
• Solo Show, Tavistock Institute, London, UK
• Solo Show, Gourlay's Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
• Solo Show, Les 7 Lézards, Paris, France
1993
Solo Show, "Jazz Men" for the inauguration of Hot Brass Jazz club, La Villette, Paris, France
1990
"Salon de la Jeune Peinture” art fair, Grand Palais, Paris, France
1989
• XXI International Festival of Painting, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France
• Selected for "Premio Internazionale di Pittura VIII Francia D’Argento", Tuscany, Italy
• “8 Australian artists, Bicentenary of the French Revolution”, Australian Embassy, Paris, France
1988
• Selected for Solo Show at the "Salon de la Jeune Peinture” art fair, Grand Palais, Paris, France
• "Salon d'Automne", Grand Palais, Paris, France
1986
"Salon d'Automne", Grand Palais, Paris, France
1985
Solo Show funded by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council, Pinacotheca Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
1984
• "Printmakers from Victoria" exhibition tour, Japan
- Aichi Gallery
- Inazawa Museum
- Toyohashi Museum
1983
"Large Collages on Paper" Solo Show funded by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council, at Pinacotheca Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
1982
• “Directions Now” organised by Victorian Ministry for the Arts, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
• Canberra Times National Prize Exhibition, Canberra, Australia (Awarded 2nd Prize)
1981
• Solo Show of Large Etchings/Aquatints funded by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council, at Auguste Blackman Gallery, Sydney, Australia
• "Festival of Drawing", Mornington Gallery, Victoria, Australia
• Henri Worland Printmaking Prize Exhibition, Warnambool Gallery, Victoria, Australia
Awards
2019
Portrait of Claire Tomalin acquired by the National Portrait Gallery, London UK
2018
Selected from 2667 international entries as one of 48 finalists for the BP Portrait Award Exhibition, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
2007
Selected as finalist for the Portia Geach Portrait Prize at S.H.Ervin Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2006
Work selected to be published for limited edition of “Mystery postcards”, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
2003
Selected as 1 of 12 artists to paint for 1 of the 4 programs of the BBC series "Star Portraits", broadcast in UK, Australia and the United States
1999
Awarded 2nd Prize for the BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
Painting 'Boyish Boo' chosen as the publicity image for Award Exhibition: press, subway posters, etc.
1989
Awarded 2nd Prize for the "Premio Internazionale di Pittura VIII Francia D’Argento", Tuscany, Italy
Judge: Jean-Marie Drot, Director of the Academy of France, Villa Medicis, Rome
1988
Received Special Mention from the Jury and selected for Solo Exhibition at the "Salon de la Jeune Peinture” art fair, Grand Palais, Paris, France
1987
Awarded a Major Grant by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council to paint full-time in Paris for 1 year
1986
Awarded a Residency Grant by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council for a 3 month Artist's residence at the Michael Karoyli Cultural Foundation, Vence, France
1985
Awarded a Grant by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council to fund a solo exhibition at Pinacotheca, Melbourne, Australia
1983
Awarded a Grant by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council to fund "Large Collages on Paper" Solo Exhibition at Pinacotheca Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
1982
Awarded 2nd Prize by the Canberra Times National Prize, Canberra, Australia
1981
• Awarded a Grant by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council to fund a solo exhibition at Auguste Blackman Gallery, Sydney,
Australia
• Awarded 2nd Prize for "Festival of Drawing" at Mornington Gallery, Victoria, Australia