Laurie Nilsen



© 2013

 

Born: 1953 Roma QLD
Country: Manadandanji
Region: Roma QLD

Laurie trained in the graphic arts and uses drawing, painting and sculptural mediums. Often featuring barbed wire as a medium encompassing cultural, political and environmental concerns. Although most of his work tackles issues that concern Aboriginal people, he recognises these concerns also affect non-Aboriginal people. Laurie was a foundation member of the Campfire Group Artists in the early 1990s and currently works with the proppaNOW Collective. Laurie has been the recipient of numerous art awards including winning the 2007 Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award for 3D work. His work is held in numerous private and public collections, and he was one of the first ‘urban’ Aboriginal artists to have work acquired by the National Gallery of Australia.
 

 

EDUCATION
1973-75 Certificate in Commercial Illustration Queensland College of Art Brisbane
1988-89 B.A (Visual Arts) Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education Victoria
1995-2006 Lecturer Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art Griffith University Brisbane
 

 

EXHIBITIONS-SOLO

2013 Firebrand fireworks gallery Brisbane
2010 Trapped fireworks gallery Brisbane
2008 Laurie Nilsen fireworks gallery Brisbane
1999
1998/99 		Udungallo (Bungil Creek) Dreamtime Gallery Santa Fe New Mexico USA
Udungallo (Bungil Creek) fireworks gallery Brisbane
1996 Barbed Wire Boundaries fireworks gallery Brisbane
1995 Claypan Series Dreamtime Gallery Santa Fe New Mexico USA
 

 

EXHIBITIONS-GROUP
2012 existence resistance The Bega Valley Regional Gallery Bega NSW
2012 proppaNOW: A social history of Queensland’s leading Aboriginal art collective State Library of Queensland Brisbane QLD
2012 Undiluted USQ Arts Gallery Toowoomba QLD
2011 From the Bush III FireWorks Gallery Brisbane
2011 Eclectica 1 FireWorks Gallery Brisbane
2010 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Tanks Arts Centre and Cairns Regional Gallery Cairns QLD
2010 Melbourne Art Fair Royal exhibition building Melbourne
2010 Just Drawn (with ProppaNOW Artists Collective) Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts Melbourne
Putsch (with ProppaNOW Artists Collective)
2010 Tandanya – National Aboriginal Cultural Institute Adelaide
2009 Menagerie: Contemporary Indigenous Sculpture Object Gallery Sydney
2008 Blue: a group exhibition fireworks gallery Brisbane
2007 The Amersham Trophy (with proppaNOW Artists Collective) Ambleside Street Studio Brisbane
70% Urban National Museum of Australia Canberra
Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Art Award Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory Darwin
Friendly Fire ProppaNOW Group George Petelin Gallery Gold Coast QLD
2006 two way: artists and mentors fireworks gallery Brisbane
  Thick and Fast (with proppaNOW Artists Collective) Powerhouse Museum Brisbane
2005 SHOOSH! A History of the Campfire Group Institute of Modern Art Brisbane
Smoke: Campfire Group and other Commissioned works fireworks gallery Brisbane
Smoke: Campfire Group and other Commissioned works Despard Gallery Hobart
2004 Voices Stories (NEWflames artists and mentors) RGAQ touring exhibition
Sculpture 2004 Maunsell Wickes gallery Sydney
Sculpture in the Vines Millfield Wines Lower Hunter Valley NSW
2003 What have you done lately to change the situation? fireworks gallery Brisbane
There Goes My Neighbourhood Ambleside Street Studio Brisbane
2002 Urban Blackness Noosa Regional Gallery QLD
Six Coats of Black fireworks gallery Brisbane
Lines II fireworks gallery Brisbane
2001 A Few Good Men fireworks gallery Brisbane
2000 Ideas of Landscape Powerhouse Museum Brisbane
Landmarks Powerhouse Museum Brisbane
1999 Big Smoke (with Campfire Group) Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Sydney
Respect Institute of Modern Art Brisbane
1998 The National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Award Touring Exhibition
Fireworks on Paper fireworks gallery Brisbane
Campfire Group Print Folio fireworks Gallery Brisbane
Art of Place Australian Heritage Commission – National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition Old Parliament House Canberra
Eco-Dea Griffith University Brisbane Austrade Conference Multi Media Exhibition Paul Getty Museum Los Angeles USA
Absolut Chalk Pasadena City Hall Los Angeles USA        
1997 Ochres fireworks gallery Brisbane
Interference (with Campfire Group) Institute of Modern Art Brisbane
Black Humour Touring Nationally
Brisbane vs Essendon fireworks gallery Brisbane
Engine, the Best of the Campfire Group fireworks gallery Brisbane
Wild Kingdom Institute of Modern Art Brisbane
Guitar Show Tamworth Regional Gallery NSW
1996 All Stock Must Go! The Second Asia Pacific Triennial (with Campfire Group) Queensland Art Gallery Brisbane
Saltwater Freshwater Borewater (with Campfire Group) RGAQ Touring Exhibition
Totems Environmental Sculpture Blue Mountains NSW
1995 Seven Deadly Australians fireworks gallery Brisbane
Robin O’Chin Memorial Art Award Queensland Aboriginal Creations Brisbane
1994 Political Boats fireworks gallery Brisbane
Craft Exhibition Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative Sydney
600,000 Hours (Mortality) Experimental Art Foundation Adelaide
Urban Focus National Gallery of Australia Canberra
Dam(n) Wall Courtyard Installation (Collaboration with Charleen Teeters - Spokane Indian) Institute of American Indian Art Santa Fe New Mexico USA
Welcome (with Michael Eather) Experimental Art Foundation Adelaide Institute of Modern Art Brisbane
1993 Plenty of Campfires Space Plenitude Brisbane
Indigenous Year Exhibition Caboolture Shire Council Hall QLD
Stories: Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art Karava Art Museum Finland
Stories: Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art Rovniemia Art Museum Finland
Stories: Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art Turku Art Museum Finland
Political Works fireworks gallery Brisbane
Political Bedrooms fireworks gallery Brisbane
Aboriginal Perceptions 1963-1993 Brisbane City Gallery
Botany Aboriginal Art Awards Sydney
Fire-Brand fireworks gallery Brisbane
1991 Campfires at the Waterhole Spring Hill Baths Gallery Brisbane
1990 Balance 1990: Views, Visions, Influences Queensland Art Gallery Brisbane
1989 Grand Prix Exhibition Tandanya Adelaide
1989 Stephen Kellner Aboriginal Art Awards Museum of Victoria Melbourne
1988-9 Student Sculpture Exhibitions Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education Churchill Victoria
1987 Grand Prix Exhibition Adelaide College of Advanced Education Adelaide
1985 Aboriginal Art Show Brisbane City Hall Gallery QLD
1983-6 Community Exhibitions Brisbane and Southern Queensland
 

 

AWARDS
2007 WINNER 24th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award Wandjuk Marika Three-Dimensional Memorial Award Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory Darwin
2001 1st PRIZE Robin O’Chin Award Open Section
1989 Inaugural Stephen Kellner Aboriginal Art Award
South Queensland Aboriginal Artist of the Year
1987 Queensland Aboriginal Artist of the Year
1986 Queensland Aboriginal Artist of the Year
 

 

COMMISSIONS
2006 Concrete and Timber Relief State Library (North Wall Indigenous Knowledge Centre) Southbank Brisbane
2003 Political Piranha (Aluminium Fish/Water Feature) Convention Centre Brisbane
2002 Bungil Creek Mural Dogwood Crossing Murilla Shire Council Miles QLD
2001 Dreamtime Sammlung Essl Klosterneberg Austria (Performance)
Robin O’Chin Award 1st Prize Open Section
2000 Journey Tracks 4x4xmore (with Campfire Group) Motorama Showroom Brisbane
Cultural Debris Public Art Commission Brisbane City Council Roma Street Brisbane
1999 Connecting Worlds (with Campfire Group) Homebush Hotel Murals Olympic Games Sydney
Bronze Bust (Bungaree) Mosman Town Council Sydney
1997 Maroochy Art Awards 1st Prize Indigenous Section
1998 Mural FAIRA & QANTM Training Centre Brisbane
Sculpture Musgrave Park NAIDOC Day Committee Brisbane
Sculpture Hargrave Park Brisbane City Council Public Art Program Brisbane
1995 Cover Design Meeting and Conventions Guide Brisbane Visitors Convention Bureau
1994 Aboriginal Art Trail Public Art Project Brisbane City Council Sandgate and Inala Brisbane
1993 Aboriginal Art Trail Public Art Project Brisbane City Council Mt Cootha Brisbane
1987 National Aboriginal & Islander Poster Competition
1985-95 Various Poster Designs, Book Illustrations for Queensland Education Department; Numerous Public & School Murals
 

 

PUBLISHED MATERIAL and more
  2008 Laurie Nilsen fireworks gallery Brisbane (Catalogue)
2007 Ashley Crawford Laurie Nilsen: Birds on a Wire Australian Art Collector Issue 42 Page 149-153
2006 Gatherings II Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art From Queensland Australia (Catalogue)
2006 Totems and turtles: making indigenous art in the 21st century. Bob Dempsey in public dialogue with Laurie Nilsen (ABC Radio National) 5 May
2006 Collaborations/Cross-disciplines/Strange Bedfellows Laurie Nilsen Speaker (QCA Research Forum)
2005 Michael Eather Editor SHOOSH! A History of the Campfire Group Institute of Modern Art Brisbane (Exhibition Publication)
2005 Michael Eather Smoke: Campfire Group and other Commissioned works Despard Gallery Hobart (Exhibition/Web Essay)
2004 Voices Stories (Catalogue)
2003 Linda Carroli Open Hearted, Open Handed, Open Minded (Commissioned Essay)
2002 Urban Blackness (Catalogue)
2002 A Year on the Wing – an online documentary Laurie Nilsen Special Guest (ABC)
2001 Gatherings I Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art From Queensland Australia (Catalogue)
2001 Linda Carroli On the Tropic of Capricorn: Walala Tjapaltjarri & Campfire Group Sculptures from the Tingari Cycle (Catalogue Essay)
1998 Stephanie Radok Black Humour Artlink Volume 18 Number 3 (Article)
1997 Saltwater Freshwater Borewater (Catalogue)
1997 Black Humour (Catalogue)
1995 All Stock Must Go! The 2nd Asia Pacific Triennial (Catalogue)
1990 Balance, Views, Visions, Influences (Catalogue) 
 

 

COLLECTIONS
  National Gallery of Australia Canberra
National Museum of Australia Canberra
Education Department of Queensland Brisbane
Museum of Victoria Melbourne
Baillieu Myer Sculpture Garden Victoria
Tandanya Cultural Institute Adelaide
Various Private Collections Australia & USA
 
For more information, contact us at;
info@fireworksgallery.com.au