Renee Cosgrave lives and works in Naarm/Melbourne on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. She’s from Aotearoa/New Zealand of Irish, Māori (Ngāti Tūwharetoa iwi) and Scottish ancestry. Renee’s practice explores abstract painting, her recent works are inspired by raranga (Māori weaving) and reference colours from land, waters, and speaks to concepts of whakapapa, her works become dedicated to people or place.
Renee was awarded the MECCA M-Power National Gallery of Victoria Arts Mentoring Grant in 2019. Her recent exhibitions include: Papa, Two Rooms, Auckland, New Zealand (2023); Whanaungawith Aunty Dorothy Nilson, Blak Dot Gallery, Melbourne (2022); Serotonin, Futures Gallery, Melbourne (2022); Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, Geelong Gallery, Geelong (2022); Ahi Mahana with Sean Miles, Sutton Projects, Melbourne (2019) and WestFarbe, CoCA, Christchurch, New Zealand (2020). Renee’s work is held in private collections in Australia & Aotearoa and public collections including Artbank, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga and the James Wallace Arts Trust, New Zealand.