Exhibitions, Sales & Essays

2022

January 22nd – Summer 2022 ~ ICE Galleries, Wilmslow, Cheshire
Work exhibited at ICE alongside the photography of Tim Flach

February 8th – 24th 2022 ~ An Unbroken Duality of Bronze, Marble and Canvas
Artis Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand

Work exhibited at Artis alongside the sculpture of Margaret Lovell

September 8th – 30th 2022 ~ John Blackburn at 90 – Seven Decades of Painting
Osborne Samuel Gallery, London

2021 CHEFFINS SALE
Mid-Century Artwork & Sculpture
Sourced from two private collections, this was the largest contingent of John Blackburn works to have ever come to auction.
View the Press Release
View the Catalogue
View the Results

2019 ALL FIRED UP ~ Artis Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
Exhibiting with sculptor Margaret Lovell
John Blackburn‘ Catalogue Essay by Christopher Johnstone

2018 PAINTINGS FROM THE STUDIO ~ Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh

2018 THE FIRE PAINTINGS ~ Osborne Samuel, London
The Fire Paintings‘ Essay by Mark Pulsford

2017 MAYFAIR TO MURIWAI ~ Artis Gallery, Auckland
Mayfair to Muriwai‘ Essay by Christopher Johnstone
‘There is no point in simply doing what you already know; the important thing is to search for what you don’t know.’ JB

2016 JOHN BLACKBURN ~ Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh

2016 INTIMATE WORKS ~ Artis Gallery, Auckland

2016 MATERIAL NATURE ~ Osborne Samuel, London
Material Nature‘ Essay by Ian Massey

2015 INSPIRATION ~ Artis Gallery, Auckland

2014 IN ABSENTIA ~ Artis Gallery, Auckland
In Absentia‘ Essay by Richard Wolf
‘I think painting is rather like alchemy. Sort of like turning nothing into something. Apart from everything else that happens in the course of the creative process, a little magic is needed also.’ JB

2013 A DECADE OF EVOLUTION ~ Osborne Samuel, London

2013 Art UK
‘Artist in Focus: John Blackburn’ Article by Ian Massey

2012 JOHN BLACKBURN ~ Lemon Street Gallery, Truro
The Stuff of Life‘ Essay by Ian Massey

2012 MT MAUNGANUI PAPER SUITE ~ Artis Gallery, Auckland

2012 AND GOD CRYED ~ Studio 3 Gallery, University of Kent at Canterbury in association with Osborne Samuel
John Blackburn : a short film by UKC School of Arts

2011 IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNT ~ Artis Gallery, Auckland
In the Shadow of the Mount‘ Essay by Ian Massey
‘Becoming comfortable with what you are doing is the most destructive thing that can overtake a painter.’ JB

2011 NEW PAINTINGS ~ Osborne Samuel, London.

2010 THE MURIWAI PAINTINGS ~ Artis Gallery, Auckland
John Blackburn’s Hypnotic Art‘ Essay by John Coley
‘For my part, painting is never easy. Nor should it be. Nothing any good has ever come out of easy.’ JB

2010 JOHN BLACKBURN PAINTINGS ~ Lemon Street Gallery, Truro

2009 JOHN BLACKBURN ~ Osborne Samuel, London

2009 BACK AFTER ALL THESE YEARS ~ Artis Gallery, Auckland
Back after all these Years‘ Essay by Christopher Johnstone
‘It is sometimes possible to make sense of the confusion that surrounds us. I paint to find an inner order – this is what drives my work.’ JB

2009 ‘Blackburn’s Back‘ Essay by John Coley

2007 JOHN BLACKBURN PAINTINGS ~ Osborne Samuel, London

2006 JOHN BLACKBURN, REDISCOVERED ~ The Metropole Galleries, Folkestone
John Blackburn: a personal appreciation‘ Essay by Christopher Penn
John Blackburn: an untold vision.’ Essay by Furse Swann

1967 Bene’t Gallery Cambridge

1965 Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham

1965 Dillwyn Gallery, Swansea

1962 Woodstock Gallery, London; Kettles Yard, Cambridge

1961 John Moores Exhibitor; Walker Gallery; Liverpool Biennale

1958 Auckland City Art Gallery

1957 Circle Gallery, Auckland

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