Joshua Searle (b. 1998) is an Australian-Colombian artist whose practice examines socio-cultural issues, diasporic identity, and the legacies of colonisation. Primarily a painter, he also works across sculpture, contemporary jewellery, glass, and printmaking. His work challenges institutional collecting practices while celebrating Black excellence and the strength of his cultural heritage.
Searle’s practice frequently employs figurative repetition, with meaning shifting in response to historical and personal contexts. His major projects - including Wall of Gold (2023), Stolen Gold (2023–24), and Museo del Oro Robado (Museum of Stolen Gold) (2024) = engage with Pre-Columbian artefacts, exploring their presence in museum collections as a way to understand his own diasporic history.
In 2023, Searle was a finalist in the Sir John Sulman Prize (AGNSW) and received several commissions with the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, including for the Archibald Prize Exhibition. In 2024, he was a finalist in the National Works on Paper Prize (MPRG). His most recent solo exhibition, Relentless Optimism (2024), was held at North Gallery, Melbourne.
Searle is the current recipient of the 2024 Mason Family Trust Fellowship, which supported his research in Colombia. This experience - examining Indigenous goldsmithing and sculptural practices - has informed Notes from a Journey Home, bringing a deeply personal dimension to his ongoing exploration of cultural reclamation.
Instagram.com/joshua_searle_art
