Nicholas Currie
Nicholas Currie – 'Backwards Paining', 2023
Yugambeh Country.
For myself, the connection to community is an important continuation to culture . The body of work produced for this show is derived from yarning while working and creating these paintings. The conversation points are diverse in context - tough yarns, funny yarns and even important yarns were had while painting with brushes, walking and pushing material onto the material. More medium is on the back of the material then the front as most yarns hold more than what is at face value. The action of making is shared and within the conversation, the expression and physical are all intertwined.
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Nicholas Currie is a descendant of the Mulunjali Clan of the Yugambeh people of Brisbane and Beaudesert with connection to Kuku Yalanji people of North Queensland. Currie is known for his diverse artistic and curatorial practice both in subject and medium, from work on canvas, to murals and art installations, exploring themes of social, cultural, and personal identity. His visual vocabulary links to themes of Indigeneity, emotional responses and larger community values.
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YARN
July 1 – September 16
Curated by Jahkarli Felicitas Romanis
Brad Webb, Carissa Gurwalwal, Corben Mudjandi, Kim Ah Sam, Leanne Namarnyilk, Nicholas Currie and Tarryn Love.
Storytelling is central to Aboriginal culture. It is rooted in Country, family, and spirit. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been storytellers for millennia, passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
Presented as part of NAIDOC week, YARN connects to this year's theme, 'For Our Elders.' Elders are the advocates, trailblazers, knowledge holders, guides and pillars of our communities. They have fought for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, ensuring the survival of the longest-living culture in the world. They are the reason we are able to thrive and be proud of who we are.
YARN brings together the work of seven Indigenous makers. Woven within each artist's practice are the stories, lived experiences, knowledges and relational connections to Country. This exhibition draws on important oral histories and the significance of knowledge sharing through conversation and listening. Each artist is an agent of their voice, speaking to the gravity of arts practice as a form of storytelling.
Material: oil and ink on stretched canvas
Dimensions: 50cm x 55cm