READ | How Gene A’Hern Finds Harmony in his Work
Gene A’Hern’s works are vivid, textural, and resonate with dynamic movement. His practice resonates strongly with the role of spirituality in art, and the power of quiet, process-driven work
A man of few words, he lets the works do most of the talking. At Melbourne Art Fair, Cassandra Bird presents a solo exhibition of work by A’Hern. This new body of work, created specifically for the Fair, will mark a significant evolution in A’hern’s practice, expanding his distinctive visual language through layered mark-making, symbolic abstraction, and a meditative use of colour and space. Find them at Melbourne Art Fair, Booth B3.
What does drawing allow you to access that other processes don’t?
Drawing allows an immediacy in communicating and problem solving. I am also able to flow through impulse and intuition more easily.
Natural elements consistently appear in your work. Paired with texture, they oscillate between abstraction and clear representation. Are these motifs instinctively brought to the work? How does tactility function in conveying place, emotion, or time?
I incorporate mountain peaks, rain, sky and bushland throughout my work instinctively and from memory. Nature is huge part of my every day life as well as my experience growing up. I am constantly observing and processing the natural environment around me.
I find that texture can amplify a tension and release within a painting, often contributing to harmony which I have previously mentioned is a key component of a finished piece for me.
There’s a strong sense of dynamic movement in your work. How conscious are you of spatial dynamics while working, and how much emerges intuitively?
I am and I’m not at the same time. I am mostly an intuitive painter but sometimes I have more of plan. It is most natural for me to paint with dynamic movement because the physicality and rhythm of painting is the ‘flow state’ for me, and it tends to manifest on the canvas in those spatial dynamics.
Gene A’Hern in studio. Courtesy the artist and Cassandra Bird Gallery.
You’ve previously spoken about your love for hiking. What are your favourite spots?
One of my favourite spots is Cradle mountain in Tasmania, but I am lucky to live in the Blue Mountains where there are countless beautiful hikes nearby.
Do you have any specific rituals or routines to get you in the right headspace for working?
Not really, I just have a coffee.
Are there any mistakes you have made while working that end up adding to a piece in a way you didn’t expect?
There are constantly shifts in colour, tones and form as I paint. ‘Mistakes’ often lead to new discovery, and I have learnt to accept them as being a genuine part of the process.
Melbourne Art Fair returns 19 – 22 February 2026.
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