Design and Art Australia Online

Born 1971, Carlton, Victoria, of the Meriam Mer, Erub, Ugar peoples of the Torres Strait and the Ku Ku people of far North Queensland
Since obtaining his Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting) at the Victorian College of the Arts (1992-94) and Master of Fine Art (Research) at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales (2001-03), Clinton Nain has established a significant place in the critical debates of contemporary Australian art.
Nain’s work confronts the continuing injustices suffered by the Indigenous peoples of Australia. His powerful symbolism evokes the wounds of dispossession – of country, culture and language – which lie at the heart of those who once were masters of their own destinies. Recurring images, such as his mother’s mission dress and the potholed road leading to her grave, point both to family loss and the ever-painful journey towards reconciliation and healing.
In 1999, Nain began his 'White King, Blak Queen’ series exploring colonisation through a black feminine perspective. Through performance, storytelling and staining fabrics with bleach, the Blak Queen boldly quests for equality. Nain explored these ideas further in his 2001 exhibition, 'Whitens, Removes Stains, Kills Germs’.
The artist’s brother, writer John Harding, has said: 'The Blak Queen is omnipotent, knows no boundaries and recognises no colonising fences. She has even transformed herself into a bird and flown out a window! She can turn everyday household items into weapons against colonisation and the fading of memory. Her splashes of bleach become evocative images of lingering memories, prodding us to remember the truth.’ (Melbourne, 2001)
Nain’s work remains uncompromising. Bitumen, house paint and varnish are now his principal mediums. His exhibitions – 'Living Under the Bridge’ (2003), 'The Dirty Deal Ain’t Clean’ (2005), 'A E I O U’ (2006) and 'Hurdy Gurdy (Wrong Way Around)’ (2007) – target the ongoing marginalisation of many Aboriginal people and communities in Australia. Following the national apology to the Stolen Generations, Nain’s plea is for us to listen to the voices of the most vulnerable in seeking resolution. 'What we artists create’, he says, 'is for everyone in the world.’

Writers:

Murray-Cree, Laura

Date written:

2006

Last updated:

2008