STUDIO education resource - Museums & Galleries NSW
STUDIO education resource - Museums & Galleries NSW
STUDIO education resource - Museums & Galleries NSW
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
ANGUS NIVISON<br />
ANGUS NIVISON<br />
WALCHA, <strong>NSW</strong><br />
Angus Nivison has the messiest studio in the country. Surrounded by paper,<br />
paint, art books, newspapers and drawing materials, he makes works that<br />
can be described as quiet, contemplative and soulful.<br />
R Ian Lloyd’s photograph of Nivison is more than a portrait of the artist in<br />
his studio, it is a portrait of his painting process. By cluttering up his space<br />
Nivison can make happy accidents and discover new ideas. Although he<br />
says that his approach to every picture is different, ‘it always starts in chaos<br />
and ends in relief.’<br />
Nivison says that he has a fear of empty space (known in Latin as horror<br />
vacuii ) – a fear that many artists feel when contemplating a blank canvas or<br />
a new work of art. Nivison says he conquers the terror of the blank canvas<br />
by ‘ruining’ it: ‘I slaughter it and then try to save it. That’s how you get around<br />
painter’s block: make huge mistakes instantly. Do your worst straight away!’<br />
Born in 1953, Nivison lives in Walcha, in the New England district of New<br />
South Wales, where his family has farmed for generations. When he is<br />
not making art, he sometimes works on his brother’s farm. His drawings,<br />
paintings and their titles often refer to rain. It is as though by painting rain<br />
that Nivison can bring rain to a drought stricken landscape.<br />
Explore more of Nivison’s practice:<br />
http://focusmag.com.au/ne/our-area/local_artists/angus-nivison<br />
http://www.utopiaartsydney.com.au/angusnivison.htm<br />
Explore Walcha where Nivison works and lives:<br />
http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2006/s2104299.htm<br />
Write as many words<br />
as you can to describe<br />
Nivison’s studio – fill a whole<br />
page with these words and try<br />
to write or draw these words<br />
in a way that captures their<br />
meaning.<br />
Look closely at the photograph<br />
and write a list of the things that<br />
you can see in the photograph<br />
that may influence Nivison’s<br />
work. Is there anything<br />
missing from this studio?<br />
Where has the<br />
photographer Ian Lloyd<br />
positioned himself to take this<br />
picture? Why did he choose<br />
this angle?<br />
Take a series of photographs<br />
of a familiar subject from<br />
different viewpoints. Which<br />
best suits your chosen subject<br />
matter and why?<br />
return to Contents NEXT<br />
BACK
Change language