Karen Standke is a contemporary Landscape Artist who has worked and exhibited internationally for over two decades. Her paintings are informed by thorough research into the changing face of the landscape and the impact of climate change, introduction of weeds and non-native fauna and flora. The signs of these impacts can be subtle and beautiful in themselves.
Karen’s paintings focus on the change in the environment – and thus the work questions how we respond emotionally? how do we respond practically to these challenges? It is this juxtaposition that the artist is most interested in, informed by psychology, politics, religion, and science.
Born 1973 In Munich, Germany and based in Australia since 2000, Karen has exhibited work nationally and internationally. Awarded the Pollock Krasner Foundation grant in 2008, Standke’s work has been a finalist in several of Australia’s most prestigious painting awards, amongst them the John Leslie Art Prize in 2020 and 2018, the Pro Hart Outback Art Prize in 2017, the Albany Art Prize in 2014 (where her work won the People’s choice award) and the Glover prize in 2011.
Most recently, Standke was awarded the Noel Counihan Art Award in 2018, and her winning work “Now selling” was acquired by Moreland City Council for the public collection in 2020. “Road to Maralinga II”, an early work of Standke’s, painted in 2007, was part of the nationally touring exhibition Black Mist Burnt Country, which included work by Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd and Rosemary Laing, amongst many other notable contemporary artists. Standke’s works are held in private collections in Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, France, Norway, Japan, India, UK and USA
Solo Exhibitions
2025 Solo Exhibition, Manyung Gallery Malvern
2022 Harsh and Fragile, Manyung Gallery Strathmore 2018 Full circle, Manningham Art Gallery, Doncaster
2018 “Full circle”, Manningham Art Gallery
2018 "Beautiful weeds", Wide open road, Castlemaine
2015 “Drift”, Jackman Galleries, Melbourne
2012 “You are here”, Jackman Galleries, Melbourne
2010 “All things must pass”, Pivotal galleries, Melbourne 2009 “Far away so close”, Pivotal galleries, Melbourne
2008 “…where the heart is”, Pivotal Galleries, Melbourne
2008 “Berg-geist”, Altes Kino, Ehrwald, Austria
2007 “Alternate Routes”, Yering Station, Victoria
2006 "New paintings", Pivotal galleries, Melbourne
2005 “Down South”, Rise, Wellington, New Zealand
2005 “WA mate”, Pivotal Galleries, Melbourne
2004 “Felsensicht”, Altes Kino, Ehrwald, Austria
2004 “Feathers and stones”, Graphics Plus Gallery, UK
2002 “Show me where”, Gallery 11, Melbourne
2000 “Poetry of Silence”, Stone Art Collections, Wellington NZ
1999 “Volcanoes and the paths of lava”, Ohakune, New Zealand
Select Group Exhibitions
2024 (Be)Longing, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick, Vic
2024 Albert park Art show, Albert Park college, Vic
2024 Melbourne Affordable Art Fair
2024 Sydney Affordable Art Fair
2023 'The Collectors Canvas', Manyung Gallery Malvern
2022 'Australian Landscapes: Harsh and Fragile', Manyung Gallery Strathmore
2022 ‘Grand Opening’, Manyung Gallery Strathmore
2021 Art Aviso CARAVAN , Tacit Galleries, Collingwood
2020 Art Aviso 1.5 degrees, 45downstairs, Melbourne, Vic
2019 The Other Art Fair, Barangaroo, Sydney , NSW
2018 Collins Place Summer Salon, Melbourne, Vic
2018 Moreland Summer show, Counihan Gallery
2016 "Black mist Burnt country", touring nationally until
2016 Wyndham Art prize, Wyndham Cultural Centre
2015 Whyalla Art prize, Whyalla, South Australia
2014 "speak out", Counihan Gallery, Brunswick, Australia
2013 "Land", Wyndham Cultural Centre, Werribee
2012 “Der Berg”, Kunstraum 11, Ehrwald, Austria
2010 Camberwell Fine Art Show, Melbourne, Victoria
2009 Melbourne Art fair, Melbourne, Victoria
2007 Chelsea international Fine Art Show, Agora Gallery NYC
2005 “Embark”, Pivotal Galleries, Melbourne
2003 Linden Postcard Show, Linden Centre for Contemporary Art
2002 “Stir”, Gammaspace, Melbourne
Commendations & Awards
2025 Finalist for the Omnia Art Prize, Toorak, VIC
2024 Finalist for the Noel Counihan Art Award, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick VIC
2024 Finalist for the East Gippsland Art Gallery WRAP Small Artwork Prize
2024 Finalist for the Lethbridge Landscape Prize - Salon des Refuses, QLD
2024 Finalist for the Omnia Art Prize, Toorak, VIC
2024 Finalist for the John Villiers Outback Art Prize
2023 Finalist for the Glover prize, Tasmania
2023 Finalist for the Mount Eyre Art Prize, NSW
2023 Finalist for the Lethbridge Landscape Prize - Salon des Refuses, QLD
2023 Finalist for the Lethbridge 20000 Small Scale Art Award, QLD
2022 Excellency Award at the Chelsea International Art Competition NYC, USA
2022 Finalist for the National Capital Art Prize, ACT
2022 Finalist for the Omnia Art Prize, Melbourne, VIC
2022 Finalist for the Kennedy Art Prize, Adelaide, SA
2022 Finalist for the Lethbridge Landscape Prize - Salon des Refuses, QLD
2021 Finalist for the National Capital Art Prize, ACT
2021 Finalist for the Lethbridge Landscape Prize - Salon des Refuses, QLD
2020 Finalist for the John Leslie Art Prize,Gippsland Art Gallery, VIC
2020 Finalist for the John Villiers Outback art Prize, Winton, Queensland
2019 Finalist for the Lethbridge Art Award, Paddington, NSW
2019 Finalist for the Hawkesbury Art Prize, Richmond, NSW
2018 Winner of the Noel Counihan Art Award, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick VIC
2018 Winner of the People’s choice Prize, ROI Art Prize, Brunswick VIC
2018 Winner of the People’s choice Prize, Albert Park Exhibition, Port Melbourne, VIC
2018 Finalist for the John Leslie Art Prize,Gippsland Art Gallery, VIC
2018 Finalist for the Corangamarah Art Prize, Red Rock Gallery, Colac, VIC
2018 Finalist for the Wyndham Art Prize, Wyndham Art Gallery, VIC
2017 Finalist for the Pro Hart Outback Art Prize, Broken Hill Art Gallery, SA
2016 Finalist for the Wyndham Art Prize, Wyndham Art Gallery, VIC
2014 Finalist and Winner of the People’s choice award, Albany Art prize, WA
2013 Finalist for the Mount Eyre Art prize, Rex Livingston Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2011 Finalist for the Glover prize, Tasmania
2009 Finalist for the Prometheus Art Prize, Queensland
Residencies
2008 Artist in Residency, Ehrwald, Austria
2007 Artist in Residency at the BAC, Bangalore, India
2006 Artist in Residency at Territory Craft, Araluen Arts Precinct, Alice Springs, NT
2006 Artist in Residency at Arthur Boyd’s Bundanon, NSW, Australia
2004 Artist in Residency at the Zugspitzatelier, Ehrwald, Austria
Public Collections
2020 Moreland Art Collection, Brunswick, VIC
2008 Pollock Krasner Foundation, NYC, USA
2006 Bundanon, NSW, Australia
Public Art
2023-2025: Transporting Arts Program, Tram Stop Number 11, Melbourne Museum/Nicholson St, Carlton, Victoria
Professional Development
2019 Lithography Winter School Course, Australian Print Workshop, Melbourne
2019 Image Transfer Workshop, The Art Room
2019 Picture Framing workshop, CAE, Melbourne
2018 Black mist burnt country Artists tour, Maralinga,Yalata, Kimba, Ceduna and Hawker, SA
2010 Bush Heritage residency, Bon Bon Station, APY lands, SA
2009 Painting Research Trip, Dampier Peninsula Communities
2007 Indigenous Elders workshop, Menindee Lakes, NSW
2006 Territory Craft Studios, Araluen Art centre, Mparntwe/Alice Springs
Publications
ICAN Booklet Cover 2023
Can Art stop a bullet?, 2020, Documentary film and book
Black mist burnt country, 2019, Beyond Nuclear International
Exhibition heats up , 2018, Moreland Leader, Victoria
Full Circle Review, 2018 City of Whitehorse news,Victoria
Black mist burnt country Review, 2016, “The Australian”, Sydney NSW
Black mist burnt country Review, 2016, “The Conversation”, Sydney, NSW
Days of art review, “Tiroler Tageszeitung”, May 2012, Innsbruck, Austria
Berg- Geist review, “Tiroler Tageszeitung”, May 2008, Innsbruck, Austria
Portrait in “Artist Profile Magazine”, September 2007, Sydney, NSW
CAAMA Radio Interview, October 2006, Alice Springs, NT