The New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) today opens Unfamiliar Territory, a major survey exhibition of Australian artist Angus Nivison.
Bringing together more than five decades of work from public and private collections, alongside paintings from the artist’s studio, Unfamiliar Territory traces the breadth and development of one of Australia’s leading contemporary painters.
Best known for his abstract interpretations of the Australian landscape, Nivison’s work moves beyond representation to explore the emotional experience of place.
Working from his property, Yalgoolygum, near Walcha, his practice has been shaped by a long-standing connection to the New England landscape, its beauty, fragility, changing seasons and increasingly unpredictable climate. Rather than depicting what he sees, Nivison transforms memory, sensation and lived experience into layered paintings that invite contemplation.
The exhibition features landmark works including Remembering Rain, winner of the 2022 Wynne Prize, alongside major paintings from the Art Gallery of NSW, NERAM, Utopia Art Sydney and private collections. Together, the works chart Nivison’s ongoing engagement with landscape, memory and the emotional complexities of contemporary life.
Curated by NERAM Director Rachael Parsons, Unfamiliar Territory is the culmination of almost a decade of conversations and collaboration with the artist.
“Angus has developed a visual language that is entirely his own. His paintings ask us not simply to look at the landscape, but to feel it, to experience its beauty, uncertainty and emotional resonance. This exhibition celebrates an extraordinary career while revealing the remarkable consistency of his vision and the depth of his engagement with the world around him.”
Presented across two galleries, the exhibition offers a journey through Nivison’s practice. The opening gallery features works characterised by expansive fields of black, where colour emerges with heightened intensity. The second gallery opens into luminous, richly coloured paintings, revealing another dimension of the artist’s practice.
Together, the two spaces highlight the emotional power of colour, light and atmosphere throughout Nivison’s work.
A major publication has been produced to accompany the exhibition.
Visitors can also take part in a program of public events throughout the exhibition, including an artist talk, an exhibition dinner featuring an in-conversation with Angus Nivison and NERAM Director Rachael Parsons, and a masterclass exploring abstraction and scale.
Like what you’re reading? Support New England Times by making a small contribution today and help us keep delivering local news paywall-free. Donate now