Holly Halkes (b.1993) is a British artist based in London, whose work captures the complex, often contradictory, nature of contemporary life through a carnival of colour, humor, and surreal imagery. Her paintings are an exploration of uninhibited human interactions and social dynamics, where fantasy and reality collide in unexpected ways. Each piece is a visual playground that examines the fluid relationship between self-identity and the environment, reflecting how our surroundings shape our experiences and emotions.
Through bold colours, lively energetic brushwork, and recurring motifs, Halkes invites viewers into moments of joy, spontaneity, and absurdity, while simultaneously hinting at underlying themes of vulnerability, tension, and internal conflict. Her work engages with the push-pull between our desires to connect with our anxieties, capturing the essence of modern existence with both wit and depth.
London Based
EDUCATION
2019-2022 BA (Hons) Fine Art, City & Guilds of London Art School (First Class Honours)
2012-2016 BA (Hons) Fashion, Arts University Bournemouth
SOLO SHOWS AND TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
Upcoming November 2025, Two Person Show with Lindsey Lou Howard, Albert Contemporary, Denmark
April 2024 ‘Until Everything’s Forgotten” Better Go South, Berlin, Germany
December 2023 “All The Things You Said, Running Through My Head” Albert Contemporary, Denmark,
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITONS/FAIRS
November 2024, Swap, Garna Gallery, Madrid
August 2024 Enter Art Fair, Albert Contemporary, Copenhagen
February 2024 ‘Grand 2.0 Opening’, Albert Contemporary, Denmark,
September 2023, “Papier” Delphian Gallery
September 2023 Art on a Postcard
June 2023 ‘The Last Slice” Badr El Judi, Madrid, Spain
June 2023 “Cross Breeze” One Room Gallery, curated by Domenico De Chirico, London, UK
June 2023 “I Like It What Is It?” Albert Contemporary, curated by Claus Risvig, Denmark,
March 2023 ‘And They Lived Sadly Ever After” Tube Culture Hall, Milan, Italy
March 2023 ‘Fantastic Figures” Better Go South, Stuttgart, Germany
January 2023 London Art Fair, Artistellar Gallery, London, UK
November 2022 ‘Spectrum’ The Paperwork Show, Better Go South, Stuttgart, Germany
July 2022, ‘Sickly Sweet’ City & Guilds of London Art School Degree Show, London, UK
July 2022 ‘Life In Colour’ Hew Hood Gallery London, UK
May 2022 ‘Return To Flesh’ Hew Hood Gallery, London, UK
August 2021 1st & 2nd Year Interim Show - Intersection AMP Studios, London, UK
MUSEUM SHOWS
September 2023 SuperKraut curated by Tim Bengal at StadPalais, Stuttgart, Germany
PRESS
July 2024 - “Painting with energy: interview with Holly Halkes” - Art Hub
April 2024 - “Gallery Weekend Berlin 2024 Highlights” - The Columbist Berlin
April 2024 - “ In Conversation With London Based Artist Holly Halkes, About Her Art Practice and Upcoming Show” - Overstandard, Denmark
Dec 2023- “Holly Halkes- All The Things You Said Running Through My Head” Art Matter, Denmark
June 2023 - "The Last Slice" artistically explores gastronomy as a social ritual - Tapas, Spain
RESIDENCES
February 2024 Better Go South, Berlin, Germany
Nov 2023 Micheal Kvium Studio, Odense, Denmark
AWARDS
Dec 2023, Enter Art Fair Curated Choice - Curators Choice, Copenhagen, Denmark
2023 Winner of the Delphian Gallery Open Call, London
2015 Knyttan Industry Prize at LFW for Creative Design, London
PUBLICATIONS
Artists by Brynley Odu Davies, Trolley Books