Julia Holden is a New Zealand artist based in Christchurch since 2012. Julia's arts practice foregrounds painting in multi-disciplinary projects combining painting with performance, photography, sound and film. Consistently experimenting with modes of representation and presentation, she has developed innovative relational painting practices employing strategies focused upon encouraging public interaction, community connection and a wider social engagement. Recent projects include Lyttelton Redux (2016-17), a 23 portrait audio-visual project connecting present-day locals with historical figures with Lyttelton connections, and highlighting their significant contributions toward NZ’s development. I’m Your Fan (2016) viewed the artist-self in relation to the artist’s primary influence or artistic hero. Live, public ‘Performance Paintings’ are a recent development in her practice including Draped Nude (2017) at Auckland Art Gallery, Caroline (2017), NZ Portrait Gallery, Wellington, and Leo (2016) at The Arts Centre, Christchurch.

Holden’s stop-motion ‘animated paintings’ works extend the rhythms, narrative and potential meanings of the painted image. Each frame is individually rendered in the 'permanent' material of oil paint, and yet only a handful of actual paintings survive as a kind of residue of the process. These works investigate the discipline of painting in self-reflexive, narrative fictions gently probing the notion of painting as a private, repetitive, meditative daily practice, ritual or habit.

Julia Holden graduated BFA at Elam, School of Fine Arts, Auckland, in 2007 and gained Master of Fine Arts by Research from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, in 2011.  While in Australia Holden was a finalist in The Churchie, 2011, exhibited in SafARI 2012, and was a finalist in The Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2011 and 2012.

Since moving to Christchurch in 2012, Holden has directly engaged with rebuild projects, exhibits regularly and worked as guest Lecturer at Ilam School of Fine Arts, Christchurch.

Video below produced as preview to works for SafARI 2012, director Sabrina Organo.