About:

A painter, draughtsman, and photographer, Julius Killerby was born in Perth, Australia, but lives and works in London, United Kingdom. His work focuses predominantly on the psychological ripple effects of certain societal transformations. People pushed to painful extremes feature in much of Killerby's recent work. Explorations of this theme are intended to capture that which he believes to be most distinct about humanity − the capacity to transcend suffering and instinct through abstract thought. Part of Killerby’s practice includes portraiture and an attempt to, piece by piece, sharpen his ability to convey the human condition.

Killerby graduated from the Victorian College of Arts, Melbourne in 2017. In the same year, he was the youngest finalist to be selected for the Archibald Prize (Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney), entering with his portrait of Australian businessman and philanthropist, Paul Little AO. Other previous sitters include the former Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Ron Walker AC CBE, Julian Burnside KC, Robert Richter KC and Brendan Murphy KC.

Education and training

2014-2017: University of Melbourne, Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting

2011: Victorian Artist’s Society

Awards and SELECTED exhibitions

March 2025: Mirage of Water, Norito Gallery, London, United Kingdom

December 2024: True Fiction, JGM Gallery, London, United Kingdom

July 2021: Spectrum, Thought Forms Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

May 2021: Out Of The Darkness: A Survivor’s Journey (group), Art Gallery of Ballarat, Australia

Oct 2018: Solo Exhibition, Happy Melon Studio, Armadale, Australia

March 2018: Open Borders 3.0, 44-48 Hoddle Street, Abbotsford, Australia

Jun 2017: Archibald Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia

2017: Archibald Prize, Finalist

Public lectures and educational out-reach

15 Oct 2019: Judge and invited speaker, St Kevin’s College Art Show

8 Nov 2018: Artist talk, Star of the Sea College, Brighton

4 Nov 2017: In Conversation: ‘Philanthropic Arts’, at Geelong Gallery. An ‘in conversation’ about the relationship between art and philanthropy together with Richard Lewer (artist) and Lisa Sullivan (Senior Curator at Geelong Gallery).