andrew nicholls

go to hell

5 february - 12 march 2010

Andrew Nicholls seems to be everywhere at the moment, exhibiting in group shows, solo shows in the eastern states, book launches, writing essays, and now his first major solo exhibition with Turner Galleries.

In recent years he has been obsessed with drawing demons, and this exhibition features the best of them, along with new drawings and an exciting new video work.

His work is always provocative, with exhibitions titled The Devil at the Church, Love Sick, or his book that was published last year: Love Andrew Nicholls. This exhibition is no exception: Go to Hell. The gallery walls will be adorned with drawings of demons, some literally drawn directly onto the walls, others on paper and available for sale unframed. Stylistically Andrew’s work could be compared to Victorian sentimental drawings, but it is this sweetness of line that belies the often grotesque themes and gives the works such impact. He flaunts appropriation, saying “practically everything that I draw is stolen from other sources… blue and white china design, Victorian illustration, historical artworks, pop song lyrics, etc.” Entwined with demonic energy, desire and monstrosities, Andrew’s remarkable drawings instil a sense of the inevitable damnation of man.

He explained, “The Go To Hell works are influenced by the way evil has been depicted by artists, historically. The works make explicit reference to paintings by Bosch, Bouts, Bruegel, Delacroix, Michaelangelo, Vasari and Zuccari as well as Lewis’ gothic novel The Monk (1794), Christensen’s film Haxan (1922) and Lynch’s Twin Peaks (1990-1992). They are religious artworks.”

 

Please note the following exhibition page contains images of male nudity.

Please click here if you wish to proceed to the exhibition images...