Heath Franco
(b. 1984, Cooma NSW; lives on Dharug land in Warrane/Sydney)
Heath Franco's creative process is deeply rooted in performance, yielding multimedia time-based outcomes or two-dimensional records. The majority of Franco's finished works are videos; often combining studio performances and location photography, animation and sound design to compose single screen and multi-channel installations. Works taking other forms, such as sound or drawing; are also recorded studio performances.
Franco's performance style typically involves repetition, endurance and absurdity, delivered rhythmically with varying intensity. The video works are structured with respect to flow and rhythm and in turns, attract and repulse through a mix of hyper-aesthetic, repetition and absurd performance.
Franco’s practice is influenced by Western popular culture, ruminations on home, the chaos of existence, and possibilities of alternate/hidden realities and parallel dimensions. Franco's work has been exhibited nationally and has received prizes including the 2012 Churchie Emerging Art Prize, and the Fishers Ghost Contemporary Award in 2014 and supported by fellowships such as the 2015 CreateNSW Visual Arts Emerging. Notable group exhibitions include Primavera 2013 at MCA, The National 2017 at Carriageworks and Together In Art: Hyperlink for AGNSW online in 2020. Solo exhibitions include '444' at Syrup Contemporary in 2025, 'VALLEY' at Cement Fondu and 'CLUB LIMBO' at MONA FOMA (Launceston) both in 2019, and 'ALTERLAND' at Australian Experimental Arts Foundation in 2015.
Heath holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Specialising in Drawing and Painting from College of Fine Arts, UNSW, 2005.
