BIO

Kerry Lennon, born in Aotearoa (New Zealand), is now based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. Working predominantly in oil painting and installation, Lennon uses humour and nostalgia to create narratives from the everyday, set in domestic backdrops.  Commencing a Master's in Contemporary Art at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2026, Lennon holds a Bachelor of Consumer and Applied Science (Design Studies) from Otago University. And selected subjects in the Diploma of Visual Arts from Melbourne Polytechnic.

In 2025, Lennon was a finalist in the Flanagan Art Prize for her oil painting Insync. Lennon was a successful grant applicant in 2021 for the public spaces exhibition program at Dirty Dozen, Campbell Arcade: a program of the Creative City branch at the City of Melbourne. In 2021, Lennon was a pitch winner with Investible, an early-stage venture capital accelerator to develop her practice.

Highlights for 2026, Lennon completed an Out of Home billboard public artwork in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Two selected artworks in the Victorian College of Arts, Master of Contemporary Art, 1st year cohort, group show at VCA Arts Space Gallery.  Lennon held her solo show, “Petite Salon” at Everfresh (ARI) Gallery earlier in 2026.

A regular contributor to group shows, highlights: Camberwell Art Show, Melbourne -Selected entry (2025), Flanagan Art Award Show, Ballarat: -Finalist (2025). Moreland (Now renamed Merri-bak) Summer Show, Counihan Gallery -Selected entry (2012)

Lennon has a background in creative advertising, working in London, Sydney and Melbourne, which brings a sharp awareness of storytelling, visual language, and the influence of popular culture to her evolving contemporary art practice.

CV
EDUCATION

2026 Commencing Master of Contemporary Art, Victorian College of Arts 

2025 Diploma of Visual Arts -Critique of Cultural works, 1 subject, Melbourne Polytechnic2023 Cert IV Visual Arts - Painting, Drawing and Art History, 7 subjects,  Melbourne Polytechnic 2003 AWARD School (selected entry) Top 25 Advertising Council Australia 1995–1998 Bachelor of Consumer & Applied Science, Major: Design Studies on Form and Function, Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand

EXHIBITIONS

SOLO EXHIBITION

  • 2026 “Out of home” OOH billboard, Collingwood, Melbourne

  • 2025 “Petite Salon” Everfresh Gallery (ARI), Collingwood, Melbourne 

  • 2020 “My Blue period” (Covid lockdown) Preston Artist Studio, Preston, Melbourne

  • 2014 “The Shit People Say” 365-Day Drawing Project Installation, Wetlands ARI Gallery Brunswick Melbourne 

GROUP EXHIBITION

Facilitator/curator and exhibitor- Melbourne

  • 2025 “Dada Art Show: Everything is art, and everyone is an artist”. Merri Creek, Coburg Medium: Collage -Discoverable installation (Interactive artist-led installation)

  • 2021 “Trash Magic: Alchemy of the Found Object” Window Box, Campbell Arcade,Melbourne Medium: Sculpture/ Installation

GROUP EXHIBITIONS‍ ‍

  • 2026 2026 VCA MCA, 1st year cohort, VCA Arts Space Gallery  -Selected

  • 2025 Camberwell Art Show, Camberwell -Selected

  • 2025 Flanagan Art Award Show, Ballarat:-Finalist

  • 2021 Poowong Community Arts, Poowong:

  • 2020 Ephemeral Art Group Show, Merri Creek, Coburg:  

  • 2019 Party Animals Group Show, Catfood Press, Brunswick:

  • 2012 Moreland Summer Show, Counihan Gallery  –Selected 

  • 2012 Brunswick St show, Brunswick Gallery. Selected

  • 2007-2009 The Wall: Arts club night, World Bar, Sydney  – Creator /regular contributor

  • 2007 Red collar workers: Creature Feature, Sydney –Selected  

PUBLICATIONS 

  • 2012 Illustration submission in Freerange Journal Issue 6  – Selected 

  • 2011 Cartoon contributor -The Politics of Fashion - Online 

  • 2010 Cartoon contributor, Dissent – Political Magazine  – Selected

AWARDS & RECOGNITION 

  • 2025 Flanagan Art Award – Finalist

  • 2004 News Ltd Cannes Young Creative Competition – Regional winner

  • 2003 AWARD School Top 25  (Australian Writers & Art Directors Association) – Selected

  • 2002 & 2001 Pulp Magazine Fashion Graphic Competition – Finalist in 3 categories

  • 1999 Radical art award - Weta Workshop, New Zealand  – Winner

GRANTS 

  • 2021 Successful applicant: 2-month Exhibition program at Dirty Dozen, Campbell Arcade: 12 glass vitrines lining a public underpass from Flinders Street Station, managed by Creative Spaces:  a program of the Creative City branch at City of Melbourne.  Lennon facilitated, curated, and exhibited in Trash Magic: The Alchemy of the Found Object, a show of 12 artists. Inviting the public to engage with art in an unexpected urban space. Included: Artists’ own installation in the 1st Vitrine)

  • 2020 Pitch winner:  Investible small business/ early stage venture capital accelerator to develop practice.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • Mel Ogier “Melbourne artist Kerry Lennon’s 365 days of the shit people say exhibition” The Garbwire 2016.