Born 1949, Adelaide, South Australia, Trevor Nickolls was a significant “urban” Aboriginal artist who had been working as an artist since the 1970’s. He has inspired and influenced many artists.
He is represented in collections of all of the major art museums and galleries in Australia as well as in collections in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States of America and Canada.
Trevor Nickolls’ work is innovative and unique. His work often shows a complex iconography with many layers of meaning. A major theme in his art is “Dreamtime to Machinetime” a theme which articulates the cultural transition which many Aboriginal people have undertaken in their journey from their traditional cultural heritage of living in the Dreamtime, into the world of mechanisation and technology. Trevor Nickoll’s work often presents various interactions between these two different worlds or shows the dilemma of living within both. Subject matter includes the spirituality of the Aboriginal people and their interrelationship to land, sea, sky and cosmos; where people and elements are seen as integrated rather than separate.
Trevor has had interactions with other artists, including Aboriginal artists like Dinny Nolan and Warmun artist Rover Thomas with whom he shared the spotlight as the two artists representing Australia at the 1990 Venice Biennale.
Dreamtime Machinetime is the title of Nickolls’ signature painting at the National Gallery of Australia and the major theme of Nickolls’ work as an Indigenous artist. He was a city based artist who explored points of intersection between traditional Indigenous ways of living and contemporary urban existence. Nickolls was dubbed the ‘father of urban Aboriginal art’ by artist Brenda L Croft.
Cash – locally only – up to $10,000 only. Layby facilities available. Card details can be advised securely using WhatsApp.
© Art Mob Pty Ltd, Aboriginal Fine Art Dealer, all rights reserved.