Fire-Works gallery - Laurie Nilsen

Barbed Wire Emu sculptures
Laurie Nilsen first began making barbed wire sculptural installations in the early 1990s. often using cast aluminium or bronze features Since then he has adapted these materials into numerous contemporary works usually imbued with social and political commentary and his laconic brand of wit and satire

Laurie Nilsen’s most renowned series of works remain his Barbed Wire emus. Nilsen’s current exhibition sees barbed wire sculptures including the 2007 Telstra award winning 3D work alongside powerful graphic works on canvas. The emu is the traditional totem for his people… “They’re made of barbed wire, the thing that often kills them, so it’s almost like a regeneration or… reincarnating them again. I don’t think I’ll ever get around to making as many as I’ve seen perish.” Over the years Nilsen, both as an artist and as a
lecturer in contemporary Australian Indigenous art at Griffith University, has become renowned as a mentor for younger artists.
“I think you have responsibility as an Aboriginal person to pass on that knowledge that you have. I think that’s the role that we should all play. Everything I have learnt I have learnt from someone else.” These are essentially illustrative works – Nilsen isa masterful draughtsman – depicting portraits of individual emus… The results… reveal quirky and mad profiles of strange outback birds.

Laurie Nilsen: Birds on a Wire ashley Crawford australian art Collector issue 42 Oct-Dec 2007 pp149-153

I’m a Widow by Choice
At first glance, people may see a large Red Back spider, a species related to the Black Widow. Both these spiders are notorious for eating their male partner after mating. The scale of these works usually inspires a giggle, which is intended; however, there is as well a more serious underlying message.

This artwork highlights women’s issues – hence the title I’m a Widow by Choice.
It’s about women having more say in decisions affecting women. For instance, on the topic of abortion - How would a male know what it’s really like for a woman to abort, for whatever reason? That’s women’s business - not decisions to be made by men on moral grounds.

Laurie Nilsen Artist Statement 2007

FW10338

FW9855

FW10182

FW10203

for full range of art works
info@fireworksgallery.com.au