Tomislav Nikolic

Conveying the essence and potency of color in his geometric abstract paintings, self-taught artist Tomislav Nikolic insists that a painting is a three-dimensional object. He produces numerous layers of transparent color washes on canvas to create paintings that contain luminosity and depth. Through these layers, his color field works have a reflective element that enables the viewer to partake in their radiance, offset by the carefully chosen artist’s frames. Nikolic created a technique for combining marble dust with pigments, allowing his medium to appear simultaneously opaque and translucent. Graceful, absorbing pieces like My essence is my offence (2014) might evoke a range of emotional responses, from joy and contentment to sadness and longing. His work is in numerous collections including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Chartwell Collection at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. He was awarded the Bulgari Art Award in 2017.