nick glade-wright – now

nick glade-wright, democracy, 2024, oil on canvas, 138 x 138cm.

The paintings of Nick Glade-Wright stand alone as stunning works of art. But, just as importantly the canvases in his Now Exhibition are imbued with powerful narrative and memory.

Struggle for Freedom – one of Nick’s biggest ever paintings – is a showstopper, visually and emotionally: “It’s a direct response to the genocide in Gaza, particularly the dead and maimed children. I wanted to give them a voice,” he tells us. A large knot symbolises the struggle to break free, while dark despair is offset by vibrant purples, a color associated with royalty and power. “I wanted to bring a nobility to their struggle.”

Nick recently turned 75, a milestone that sparked personal reflection. In Now, he also unveils colour drenched paintings that balance dark despair with joyful memories. “Since turning three quarters of a century, I have delved into a little nostalgia with some work – places from my past and revisiting significant memories.”

Maria Island holds a special place in Nick’s heart with a history stretching back to wild Art School days. Using his trademark ‘intuitive expressionist’ style, Nick lays out the history of Tasmania, and his own life in one wonderful canvas. “There is even the small stone shed where I camped overnight in a raging storm. This exhibition is called ‘Now’ because I wanted a simple word that also had powerful meaning. It’s about constantly looking to the future.”

Nick Glade-Wright’s Now Exhibition opens at Handmark Gallery at 5pm on Friday August 15 and runs until September 1.