Steven Asquith is a Melbourne-based contemporary artist whose practice explores the intersection of traditional mark making and modern abstraction. Working primarily with spray acrylic, paint markers, and enamel on surfaces such as paper, board, and canvas, Asquith fuses contemporary materials with elemental, symbolic forms. This synthesis challenges conventional compositional structures, allowing his work to transcend formal boundaries.

Through a deliberate dismantling of aesthetic conventions, Asquith has developed a distinctive abstract visual language. His work reflects the complexities of contemporary visual culture, interrogating how images are constructed and perceived in an age of hybrid influences and digital saturation.

Asquith earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from RMIT in 2000. Following his graduation, he participated in an international exchange with Exit Art in New York, where he worked as a studio assistant to the influential Puerto Rican artist and curator Papo Colo. Between 2001 and 2005, he held a position at the prestigious Gagosian Gallery in London. In 2003, he co-founded The Ship Gallery, an artist-run initiative in London supported by the British Arts Council. Upon returning to Australia, he became one of the founding directors of BLOCKPROJECTS Gallery in Melbourne in 2007, further cementing his role in shaping contemporary art discourse both locally and abroad.

Steven Asquith has cultivated a rich and diverse exhibition history that reflects his deep engagement with contemporary abstraction and experimental mark making. Since completing his Bachelor of Fine Arts at RMIT in 2000, Asquith has consistently exhibited both nationally and internationally. His solo exhibitions include notable shows such as Ethereal Variations at Blockprojects in 2019, Ethereal Puncture Marks at NKN Gallery in 2017, and Midnight Drone Lullaby at Utopian Slumps in 2014. Earlier solo presentations like Ghosts of the Thrill (2011), Storm Concepts (2010), and New Paintings (2009) further established his distinctive visual language, which blends modern materials with primitive symbolism.

Asquith has also participated in a wide range of group exhibitions, including multiple editions of Spring 1883 art fair in both Sydney and Melbourne, and prestigious curated shows such as Freehand: Recent Australian Drawing at Heide Museum of Modern Art in 2010 and Detours Through Abstraction at Arts Project Australia in 2011. His work has been featured in institutional prizes like the Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize and the Paul Guest Prize at Bendigo Art Gallery. Internationally, he exhibited in Signal 8 at The Space, Cat St Gallery in Hong Kong, and co-founded The Ship Gallery in London, where he also exhibited in Pretty Little Things in 2003.

In addition to solo and group exhibitions, Asquith has engaged in collaborative projects, including Knowing Me Knowing You with Rebecca Scibilia at Arts Project Australia in 2014, and DRIPFACE with Emma Miles, which was featured in VAULT Magazine. This extensive exhibition history underscores Asquith’s sustained contribution to contemporary art and his ongoing exploration of hybrid visual cultures.