Biography
Holly Rowan Hesson lives and works near Leeds, UK. She has exhibited in solo and group shows nationally over the last eleven years. Solo exhibitions include Echo, commissioned by Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival at Pyramid Arts Centre in 2017, New Work at & Model, Leeds in 2016 and Assembly at Bankley Gallery, Manchester in 2016 which was awarded after winning the Bankley Gallery Open.
Hesson was invited to exhibit with Paul Huxley RA by Royal Society of Sculptors for The Line London in 2018, selected for the inaugural Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art in 2017 and was presented by Castlefield Gallery at The Manchester Contemporary in 2015.
Solo exhibitions
Snap, Thorpe Park, Leeds, 2022
Echo, Pyramid, Warrington, 2017 (commissioned by Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival)
Assembly, Bankley Gallery, Manchester, 2016
New Work, & Model, Leeds, 2016
Only forward, Piccadilly Place, Manchester, 2013
Selected group exhibitions
Locus Lancaster, Lancaster University, 2024
Palindrome, Critical Fish, publication, 2023
Wet Dovetail 2:4, virtual, 2022
Soanyway issue 11, online, 2022
Conversation in Colour, arebyte, London, 2018 (two person show with Paul Huxley RA curated by Royal Society of Sculptors for The Line)
Micro-commission, The Art House, Wakefield, 2018
Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art, Coventry, 2017
Creekside Open, A.P.T Gallery, London, 2017 (selected by Jordan Baseman, artist and Head of Sculpture at RCA)
Graft, PS Mirabel, Manchester, 2017
Phantom, Ruskin Gallery, Cambridge, 2017
Spectrum, PS Mirabel, Manchester, 2016
The Manchester Contemporary, presented by Castlefield Gallery, Manchester, 2015
Tracing PAPER, PAPER Gallery, Manchester, 2015
Open House, Federation House, Manchester, 2015
Glitter & Gold, Cardroom, Manchester, 2014
Bankley Open, Bankley Gallery, Manchester, 2014
HOARD, HOARD, Leeds, 2014
Society of Island Universes, Piccadilly Place, Manchester, 2014
Artifice, PS Mirabel, Manchester, 2013
Catalyst, Piccadilly Place, Manchester, 2013
Saatchi Screen, Saatchi Gallery, London, 2013
Summer Show, Malgras Naudet, Manchester, 2013
Journeys and Migrations, Hand Made in Bradford, Bradford, 2012
Reverb, Bankley Gallery, Manchester, 2012
Residencies and Projects
Leeds Creative Labs, University of Leeds Cultural Institute programme, 2024
AA2A artist in residence, York St John University, 2018-9
& Model residency, & Model, Leeds, 2016
From the Rooftops, The Penthouse, Manchester, 2013
Awards
Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society grant, 2024
Developing Your Creative Practice Arts Council England award, 2021
Freelands Foundation Emergency Award, 2020
Board Member of Royal Society of Sculptors, 2019
Member of Royal Society of Sculptors, 2019
A-n Artist Bursary, 2019
Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust Award, 2018
Arts Council England Grants for the Arts award, 2017
PS Mirabel Open prize commendation, 2016
A-n Professional Development Bursary, 2016
Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust Award, 2016
Arts Council England Grants for the Arts award, 2015
Castlefield Gallery/ Creative Industries Trafford individual mentoring award, 2015
Tracing PAPER by PAPER Gallery award, 2015
Bankley Gallery Open first prize winner, 2014
Writing
Spatial Conversations: exploring the work of Holly Rowan Hesson - Sara Jaspan, 2017
Precarious Aesthetics: on the recent work of Holly Rowan Hesson - Derek Horton, 2016
Press
Axis – New Art Highlights, 2024
Axisweb - Five2Watch: Installation, 2018
Art in Liverpool - Featured Artist: Holly Rowan Hesson at Pyramid Arts Centre, 2017
Corridor8 - Holly Rowan Hesson: Echo | Pyramid Arts Centre, 2017
This is tomorrow - Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art review, 2017
A-n - Coventry Biennial 2017 review: a springboard for new responses, 2017
Creative Tourist - Graft at PS Mirabel, 2017
Axisweb – Five to Watch at The Manchester Contemporary, 2015
Axisweb – Artist of the Month, Holly Rowan Hesson, 2015
Corridor8 – Review: Holly Rowan Hesson – Residency, The Penthouse, Manchester, 2013
Education
MA Contemporary Fine Art (Distinction), University of Salford, 2013
Certificate in Art and Design (Distinction), Calderdale College, 2010