Trevor Nickolls: Other Side Art

 

This is a major survey of three decades of paintings and works on paper by the important urban indigenous artist, Trevor Nickolls. Born in Adelaide and belonging to the Nunga people, Nickolls’ early influences included comic books and theatre arts which impressed him because they communicated with viewers so directly. Political activism with its potent philosophy of ‘the personal is political’ fuelled the artist’s choice of imagery and his commitment to pictorial accessibility. His themes include self-portraiture, Aboriginal land, dreamtime/machinetime stories and the urban landscape. At times the intricate complexity of his style enables him to make works that encompass all of this imagery and narrative richness. In 1990, along with Rover Thomas, he represented Australia at the Venice Biennale.

Curated by Michael O’Ferrall and toured by NETS Victoria.

Image: Trevor Nickolls, Warmun mandala, 2002, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 122 x 122 cm. Private collection, Perth.