Nickel, 2011

Brent Hallard  

Brent Hallard is an Australian abstract artist, artistic curator and writer . His creations on paper and aluminum explore minimalist iconography and monochromatic expressions.
His creations precisely and formally analyze geographical forms but are also idiosyncratic creations.

He currently lives and works at Byron Bay in Australia. Brent Hallard obtained his bachelors in Fine Arts in 1990 and his Master of Arts from the University of New South Wales in 1992. Hallard currently teaches at the San Francisco Art Institute and the California College of Arts.

He uses tools such as markers, watercolors and acrylics, Hallard is able to build monochromatic and semi-monochromatic images of recognizable geometric shapes such as squares and rectangles on paper and aluminum.
His works are often simple forms and clusters of forms, but at times exceed the borders of lines and forms.Hallard mainly likes to express an idea of precision and accuracy while experimenting with the free use of colors and shapes, in order to give birth to new geometric abstractions which invite the spectator to look beyond the work itself.

The artist works on themes like space and geometry, plying with images and object arrangements to boost the spectator's perception.His work has put down roots in the fundamentals of art history, and mainly leans on abstraction, minimalism and ranges of color.
The work is also a portrayal of quality human work, along with a sense of openness and frivolity, highlighting a latent freedom of formal limitations.

Kate Mothes from the artistic blog Young space spoke about Brent Hallard's work:

"The paintings......are wonderfully simple, the edges are extremely distinct and the colors are bright, that they are almost like optical visions. Some of his works are perfectly symmetrical, but the borders seem to move when we move from one segment to another, one line to another, whereas colors play tricks on our eyes. He seems to be devoted to symmetrical abstraction, distinct edges and it's as if his work itself admits that it has clear borders but sometimes it doesn't,as you can see for yourself".

Hallard has exhibited in several groups and individual exhibitions in USA, Europe and Asia. His works are part of several major museums and these include Netherlands.