Since an early age I have felt a deep seated drive and curiosity to uncover that what resides below the surface reality of things. This drive came even more potent following the tragic death of my mother when I was 19 and the subsequent untimely deaths of my father and brother. On numerous journeys, I backpacked around the world searching and soaking up the beauty of diversity. I came home and started meditating. A particular draw to Tibetan Buddhism led me to Nepal where I participated in a couple of retreats. The teachings on 'emptiness' in particular, struck a deep chord. That is, there is nothing within space that's permanent or truly independent from anything else. But the mind places labels upon everything we see so they seem in reality, seperate and unchangeable.
In the process of making the work I am learning about my connection with materials and space. I have invented a technique of layering metal strips over an internal framework in a repetitive process. I am excited at how this process gives rise to such rythyms and forms as may be seen in nature, but also human's industry upon nature. Ie the unintentional beauty of a hillside of rice padis making the most of the underlying terrain. This makes me feel that people are part of the earth, not just on the earth. I am excited to created a sculpture that starts in the space before recognition and play with this space so that people may feel the essence of a work before grasping at a label within the mind. Opening up a wider perception space allows for a deeper experience of possibility and beauty.
However, some of my more recent works do hold certain representational aspects. Here, I am enticing the viewer back over the line into emptiness. Also, in this most current show, I am going to play around with the titles of some of the works, 'reclining figure' etc...further exposing the area between form and formlessness.
Nicholas Uhlmann, July 2007
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Nicholas Uhlmann is a young sculptor who gained early recognition, with his 'metallic-organic' series of sculptures being a feature of the Helpmann Academy Graduate exhibition 2000 which selects the top graduates from South Australia's three leading art institutions. Since then he has continued to develop his unique wrap and rivet technique expressing an intimate connection between internal and outer landscapes through primordial forms. He has held three successful solo shows at BMGART in Adelaide and numerous group shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. Having recently moved back to the Adelaide Hills from the NSW north coast, Nicholas's work continues to evolve with the aim of expressing and bringing to attention the essential truths of form in space.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Nicholas Uhlmann - Born 1974, Sydney, Australia
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EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Visual Art and Applied Design, AITArts, Adelaide
2000 Three month studio residency, Bronsgieterij Sijen Art Foundry, The Netherlands
1997-2000 Advanced Diploma of Visual Art, NASA, Adelaide
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2007 Solo Show, BMGART, Adelaide
2004 Solo Show, BMGART, Adelaide
2002 Solo Show, BMGART, Adelaide
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2008 Hinterland, Country Arts SA touring exhibition
2008 Palmer Sculpture Biennial
2007 'Fresh Air' Quenington Scultpure Show, United Kingdom
2007 Montalto Sculpture Prize, Montalto Winery, Victoria
2006 PIVOTAL Galleries, Melbourne
2006 Sculpture 2006, MaunsellWickes Gallery, Sydney
2006 Palmer Sculpture Biennale, Palmer, SA
2005 Finalist, 'Sculpture By The Sea', Bondi, NSW
2005 Nicholas Uhlmann and Katherine Boland, SOHO Galleries, Sydney
2005 Finalist, 'SWELL' Sculpture Festival, Currumbin Beach, QLD
2005 'Sculpture Inside', MaunsellWickes @BSG, Paddington, NSW
2004 Xmas show, Beaver Galleries, Canberra
2004 Finalist, Willoughby Art Prize, Chatswood, NSW
2004 SCULPTURE 16, Robin Gibson Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney
2003 'Less is more', miniature sculpture show, BMGART, Adelaide
2003 'Confluence', Aqua-Sculpture exhibition, Port Macquarie
2003 SCULPTURE 15, Robin Gibson Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney
2003 Arterial Gallery, Adelaide
2002 KRILL, AITArts Graduating student show, Light Square Gallery, SA
2002 Maestros&Apprentices, Adelaide Convention Centre
2002 SCULPTURE 14, Robin Gibson Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney
2001 Garden Sculpture, Adelaide Central Gallery
2001 Work shown at Beaver Galleries, Canberra
2001 SCULPTURE 13, Robin Gibson Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney
2001 Work shown at Aptos Cruz Galleries, Adelaide Hills
2000 BMGART, Adelaide
2000 Maestros&Apprentices, Adelaide Convention Centre
2000 Helpmann Academy Graduate Show, Adelaide
1999 Rocket Scientists Graduating Exhibition, NASA Gallery, Nth Adelaide
GRANTS/AWARDS
2007 NAVA Grant for shipping large sculpture to England
2002 Rising Star, Oscarts Awards, SA
2000 Best Sculpture, Oscarts Awards, SA
COLLECTIONS
Collections in Australia, UK and Holland
Corporate collections including:
SA Great
Santos
WoodsBagot Architects
Stillwell Management Consultants
DTEI, Adelaide
Institute of Charted Accountants (commision, 33 Erskine Rd, Sydney)
Adelaide City Council (commisionfor Adelaide Prize 2007 and 2008)
Various private collections throughout Australia
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
BMG ART
31-33 North Street, West End, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 5000
Directors: Horst Kloss and Trudyanne Brown
P: +61 8 8231 4440 or 0412 311 608
F: +61 8 8231 4494
www.bmgart.com.au
bmgart@adam.com.au
VICTORIA
PIVOTAL GALLERIES
442 Bridge Road, Richmond, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3121
Director: Tasmin Davidson
P: +61 3 9429 7755 or 0403 214 385
F: +61 3 9429 7755
www.pivotalgalleries.com
manager@pivotalgalleries.com