Nigel Sense

Open Studio

Opening | Thursday 18 May 6 – 8 pm

Meet our Resident Artist Nigel Sense.

During this month, nomatic Nigel will regale through his large-scale paintings- expressing the yearnings of an artist who is ‘curious and curiouser’. Condensing chance encounters into rollicking cultural conversations.

Sense can be found painting through our large fronted windows at 67 Wellington Street, Collingwood, offering a rare opportunity to engage with an artist at work.

Nigel Sense is a Wollongong-born Australian, after graduating from University of Wollongong he has been without a fixed abode. Nomadic by nature, Sense’s keen interest in travel and discovery informs his idiosyncratic style.

Akin to Pop Artists in the 60’s, Sense trespasses everyday cultural phenomena into the gallery; communicating bold, bright, nostalgic iconography. Always from the vantage of a visitor, Sense’ brocade imagery is informed by community icons, tourist attractions and genuine connection.

Nigel States:

Who the hell goes to Melbourne to do an artist in residence while trying to give up coffee. Well I did, it failed but I did find out empty coffee cups are great for mixing paint in. You can’t fight against nature – in this case Melbourne is coffee and coffee is Melbourne. This idea that you must give you self over to the place or space is the glue for my 5 weeks at Fox Galleries. I let the space dictate what I would do from painting on a 5 meter long canvas then cutting it up into two separate pieces to waiting for the morning light that would change my ideas about colour and form. The paintings are more complex with more overlays as a result of the studio being large enough to see the work from different points of view.
These paintings will always be a love letter to travel which now will include Collingwood in the mix of places I have painted and loved

NIGEL SENSE

Nigel Sense has a compelling neo- expressionist style that has led to attention and success.

Recent highlights include a commission by Porsche in 2021 to create a custom livery for the Taycan in celebration of the German auto manufacturer’s 70th anniversary in Australia, in 2022 he held his first institutional solo at the National Centre of Contemporary Art (NCCA) in Darwin and travelled to Sydney Contemporary 22: International Art Fair, Carriageworks.

FULL CV