Jem Ham

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Biography

Jem Ham is an award winning, self taught artist who started painting on brick walls with water at the age of four. Today, he works primarily on canvas and paper. His art attempts to unravel the day to day psyche through surrealist automatism and biomorphic forms. It reflects a journey of evolving self-awareness, reaching from the physical world, to mind and spirit. Capturing moments of doubt and confusion, of weakness and strength, of joy and sorrow, of fantasy and reality, of whimsy and clarity, and of love and longing, his works are in essence, a soapbox for the subconscious mind. Jem has exhibited in Australia and internationally, with his works receiving awards and being selected as finalists in several major art prizes. His work is held in private collections around Australia and has been featured in a number of online and print publications.

Solo Exhibitions

2020
Thoughts from afar – an artist’s journey through a global pandemic
Ootong and Lincoln Gallery, Fremantle, Australia

2018
The Imaginarium of Jem Ham
Basement Gallery, Subiaco, Australia

Group Exhibitions

2023
Art Lovers Australia Collector's Edition Exhibition and Book Launch
Art Lovers Australia Melbourne Gallery, Collingwood, Victoria

2023
Extensions
Armadale Arena, Armadale, Western Australia

2023
City of Gosnells Art Awards
The Agonis, Gosnells, Western Australia

2023
Fifty Squared Art Prize
The Agonis, Gosnells, Western Australia

2022
City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Art Prize 
Goldfields Arts Centre, Kalgoorlie, Australia

2022
Street Gallery Fremantle Project 
Selected shopfronts, Fremantle, Australia

2022
Minnawarra Art Awards 
Armadale District Hall, Armadale, Australia

2022
Minnawarra Art Awards
Armadale District Hall, Armadale, Western Australia

2022
Street Gallery Fremantle Project
Selected shopfronts, Fremantle, Western Australia

2021
City of Stirling Art Awards Exhibition
City of Stirling Reception Hall, Stirling, Australia

2021
City of Melville Art Awards 
Wireless Hill Museum, Ardross, Australia

2021
Mindscapes 2021
Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery, Fremantle, Australia

2021
City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Art Prize
Goldfields Arts Centre, Kalgoorlie, Australia

2021
Kennedy Prize 
Royal South Australian Society of Arts, Adelaide, Australia

2021
Canning Art Awards 
Riverton Library, Riverton, Australia

2021
Cossack Art Awards
Cossack Bond Store, Cossack, Australia

2021
City of Bayswater Art Awards 
The Rise, Maylands, Australia

2021
City of Belmont Art Awards
The Glasshouse, Cloverdale, Australia

2020
Waverley Art Prize
Online exhibition, Waverley Woollahra Art School, Australia

2020
Spring Collection
The Corner Gallery, Subiaco, Australia

2019
City of Stirling Art Awards Exhibition
City of Stirling Reception Hall, Stirling, Australia

2019
Canning Art Awards
Riverton Library, Riverton, Australia

2016
Yardstock
Backyard Gallery, Fremantle, Australia

2008
Miscellany
The Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

2005
Two Cities
C-Cubed Art Space, Melbourne, Australia

Awards

2022
Finalist
Minnawarra Art Awards

2021
Best Painting
City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Art Prize

2020
Finalist
Waverley Art Prize

2019
Westfield People's Choice Award
City of Stirling Art Awards

Commissions

2021
Mural - The Human Puzzle

2021
Mural - Caterpillar (aka Acid Cat)

2021
Mural - A diver's dream

2021
Mural - Homerun Food

2021
Drawing - The Natural Explorer

2020
Mural - Mr. F. Reo

2017
Painting - Oh the possibilities

Publications

2019
Jem Ham
Surrealism Today, December 29. [Online] https://surrealismtoday.com/jem-ham/

2019
Art’s Young Tyros
McNeill, Sarah. Subiaco Post, vol 46, no.11, March 16, 2019. p.67-68

2017
The Art of Jem Ham
Art People Gallery, September 4. [Online] https://www.artpeoplegallery.com/the-art-of-jem-ham/

2016
Alive
STYLO Online Magazine, Issue 9 ‘Alive’, October 13, 2016. p.16-17. [Online] https://issuu.com/stylomag/docs/issue_9_alive

2023
Featured Artist
Marvelous Art Magazine, April 2023 [Online and print]

2023
Featured Artist
Art Lovers Australia Collector's Edition Book

Jem Ham
Painting, Drawing, Illustration

Artist Statement

My art is the twilight language of my soul, where the real and imaginary are fused together in a world of their own. In this world, I attempt to unravel the day to day psyche through the use of surrealist automatism and biomorphic forms, reflecting a journey of evolving self-awareness, reaching from the physical world, to mind and spirit.