A self-taught artist, Searle works primarily as a painter, using a variety of mediums including acrylic, oil stick, oil pastel and pencil. He was born and raised on the Mornington Peninsula.

Searle has been ‘compelled to paint’ since he was a child, but has largely rejected the academy of art, which he views as imparting an overly Eurocentric colonial culture and practice, apart from undertaking some art lessons as a child.

His recent explorations of painting over the past two years have been largely sparked by the inspiration of Haitian-Puerto Rican-American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, widely considered to be one of the 20th century’s most significant artists. A particular influence has been Basquiat’s use of colour, cryptic text, challenging
contextual aspects, and often immense scale of his works.

Beyond the realm of pure aesthetics, political issues also engage and compel him. He believes artists ‘cannot ignore what is happening around them, they have a duty as an artist to speak to what is happening.’
Exhibitions

Solo
Joshua Searle, Kerri Greens Winery, Red Hill, June 2021
Joshua Searle, Southern Buoy Studios, Mornington, January 2022 Joshua Searle, Frankston Arts Centre, Frankston, February 2022

Group
Small Works Art Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery, February 2022 Honeypalooza, Honeybones Gallery, Brunswick, December 2021 Flinders Art Show, Flinders, June 2021
Valliance, Honeybones Gallery, Collingwood, May 2021
TFAC Big Birthday Bash, Fitzroy Arts Collective, Fitzroy, May 2021