Lot 76: The Flood

Often tightly juxtaposed within one canvas, two realities collide abruptly with contrasting areas of colour, texture and spatial composition. NichollsÕ inventive social comment invariably carries a humorous, yet biting, edge. His imagery integrates a number of Western art conventions including surrealism, portraiture, comic book illustration and cartoon animation, with Aboriginal symbolism such as Desert dotting and Arnhem Land cross hatching, in a delicate balancing act between cultures aimed at uncovering and exposing lifeÕs realities. This painting refers to the biblical flood as well as floods that are a part of nature in Australia. Nickolls was deeply concerned about human beings tinkering with nature in this, as in all of his works, Nickolls includes playful elements. Here the redhead famously depicted on the ubiquitous match box is being interviewed for television in the foreground as the floodwaters rise.

61 x 46 cm

Estate of the Artist