Martin C. Claydon Artist Curriculum Vitae
Education2010-2013 BA/BFA National Art School, SydneyAwards & Collections2025
Lennox St. Gallery Art Award, Highly Commended 2024
Lane Cove Art Prize, Hyecorp Property Prize, WinnerForty-five Downstairs Emerging Art Prize, Honourable Mention
2018
Redland Art Awards, Third Prize Winner
Lloyd Rees Memorial Art Award, Winner
M16 Drawing Prize, Highly Commended
Hawkesbury Art Prize, Commended Award
Sydney Town Hall Archive Collection
Lane Cove Council Archive Collection
Group Exhibitions2025
Sydney Contemporary, Sydney
Lennox St. Gallery Art Prize Finalist, MelbourneAustralian Christian Art Prize Finalist, Brisbane2024
Spring Group Show, CBD Gallery, SydneyNational Emerging Art Prize Finalist, SydneyLane Cove Art Award Finalist, SydneyForty-five Downstairs, Art Prize Finalist, Melbourne
2023
Maldon Landscape Prize Finalist, Victoria2023
Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize Finalist, Brighton2021
Metro Gallery, Summer group show, Melbourne2018
Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship Finalist, SydneyMosman Art Prize Finalist, SydneyBlack Swan Portrait Prize Finalist, PerthRedland Art Awards Finalist, ClevelandAlbury Art Prize Finalist, AlbanyWyndham Art Prize Finalist, Wyndham2017
Georges River Art Prize Finalist, Hurstville2015
M16 Drawing Prize Finalist, CanberraHornsby Art Prize, Finalist, HornsbyHawkesbury Art Prize, Finalist, Freemans ReachLloyd Rees Memorial Art Award Finalist, Lane CoveBANG, Pier 2/3 Walsh Bay, Sydney2014
Waverley Art Prize, Finalist, SydneySolo Exhibitions2025
Leaves of the Brush, CBD Gallery, Sydney 2017
Borne from my Youth, Chrissie Cotter Gallery, SydneyMasticate Towards the Audience, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne2016
And I Will Grow From This, Lane Cove Gallery, SydneyWhat Becomes of Little Boys, M16 Gallery, CanberraParagons of Virtue, Gaffa Gallery, SydneyMartin Claydon was born 1989 in London, England and is now based in Crescent Head, Australia. Claydon is a painter, and was formally introduced in April of this year by CDB Gallery, Sydney where he is currently represented. He goes on to typify the gallery at Sydney Contemporary 2025.
Claydon’s practise pivots around neo-expressionist painting and its ability to render representational imagery with emotional and symbolic content. Often featuring complex themes such as mortality, vulnerability, and other psychosocial aspects of human nature. Claydon’s work participates with and transfers from the bold, cartoonish, figuration of cubist and early-modernist painting. References to the hard line graphics of 90’s culture can be made. Graffiti tagging’s bold and direct communicative qualities. The eras television cartoons created recognisable, occasionally grotesque and symbolic objects, further extrapolated into video games.
Claydon holds a BFA (painting) consisting of time at both Middlesex University, London and National Art School, Sydney. His work is held in public and private collections both domestically and internationally. Some career highlights include being awarded the Lloyd Rees Memorial Art Prize (2015). A finalist in both the Brett Whiteley Traveling Art Scholarship and the Black Swan Portrait Prize (2018). Winning the Lane Cove Hyecorp Property Prize (2024). Sydney Contemporary (2025).