Born in Cornwall, Joseph Hillier began his studies at Falmouth College of Art, then achieved a place at Newcastle University. After graduation, Hillier held a fine art research post at Newcastle University for a number of years, while creating a series of exhibitions in the UK. 

Hillier received the ‘Year of the Artist Award’ from the Arts Council of England in 2000. He also completed his earliest publicly sited projects during this year. In 2001, he won a scholarship and teaching role at Tulane University in New Orleans, where he completed an MFA and taught on the BA for a year. He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors and has created over twenty public works.

Hillier’s installations for public spaces resonate with their sites through materiality and the details of their making. He makes sculpture that explores our humanity relative to the places people inhabit. From stainless steel and bronze to wood or clay, his work plays with the timeless act of representation in contemporary contexts. Some of his artworks have responded to the climate crisis and pressing environmental concerns by reconsidering the means of production.

Outdoor Sculpture

Indoor Piece