Nikala Bourke

Nikala Bourke

Biography

Nikala Bourke is an emerging Tasmanian artist based in Hobart. Working primarily in photography and the visual arts, she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours in 2017 at the College of the Arts, University of Tasmania.

She is represented by Penny Contemporary Gallery in Hobart as well as the Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart, where she has a permanent collection available for purchase. She is a casual tutor in first year photography to students at the College of Media and Art (University of Tasmania).

Celebrating the mystery and enigmatic nature of water and replicating the waters' edge and the beach landscape is a common thread in her practice. As is the observation of natural materials, predominantly local flowers, plants and seaweeds.

Her other career as a Peri-operative Registered Nurse inspires her arts practice in many ways. Working alongside people and caring for their wounds influences the intimate and often visceral nature of her work.  

She is combining both of these careers within an arts and health research project in 2022 through the University of Tasmania.

To fuel her curiosity and experimentation in a visual sense, Nikala utilises light, magnification, glass and water within both analogue (alternative) and digital photographic processes.  

Representation of structure and close observation of change in form become evident in her artwork, as does the desire to discover, explore and question the intriguing relationship between ourselves and nature.  

Nikala uses water and the flower as metaphor for many elements of the human psyche and a symbol of Vanitas - the brevity of life. Vibrant colour and texture arising from nature is another common thread in Nikala's work.



Education, Awards and Scholarships:

2022    Arts and Health Masters Research Scholarship - University of Tasmania.

2021    Arts Tasmania Public Arts Commission with colleague Suze van der Beek at the North West Regional Hospital, Burnie, Tasmania.

2021     Finalist, The Henry Jones Art Prize, Hobart, Tasmania.

2019     Highly Commended,  2019 Kingborough Art Prize.

2019     Finalist, The Henry Jones Art Prize, Hobart, Tasmania.

2018     Finalist, The Henry Jones Art Prize, Hobart, Tasmania.

2018     Finalist, Tidal Art Prize, Devonport Regional Gallery, Tasmania.

2017     Bachelor of Fine Arts, Second Class Honours Upper Division, University of Tasmania.

2017     Placed on the Executive Dean's Honour Roll in the College ofArts, University of Tasmania, for study in the degree of Bachelor ofFine Arts with Honours

2017     Awarded the Arts Honours Scholarship, University of Tasmania.

2016     Placed on the Dean's Honour Roll for the Faculty of Arts,University of Tasmania, for the study in the degree Bachelor of FineArts.

2016     Member of The Golden Key International Honour Society foracademic achievement.

2016     Bachelor of Fine Arts, Photography Major, Tasmanian College of The Arts (Hunter Street), University of Tasmania.

2016     Finalist, Birchalls Tertiary Art Prize, Launceston, Tasmania.

2015     Recipient of the Ted Pool Memorial Award for commitment, abilitiesand dedication. Rotary Club of Hobart and Tasmanian College of theArts, University of Tasmania.

2015     Winner - Digital Art Category, Kingborough Art Prize and Exhibition.

2014     Awarded the Jon Lagos Prize in Fine Arts for excellence andartistic merit in second year studies. University of Tasmania.

2014     Dean's Honour Roll, Faculty of Arts, University of Tasmania.

2014     Finalist, Birchalls Tertiary Art Prize, Launceston, Tasmania.

2009     Tafe Tasmania Hobart, Diploma in Digital Imaging.



Representation:



Nikala is represented by Penny Contemporary Gallery in Hobart, Tasmania, where she has regular solo shows:


https://www.pennycontemporary.com.au/artists/artwork/nikala-bourke




Nikala is also represented the Henry Jones Art Hotel and has work in the Art Hotel Collection available for purchase: 


https://thehenryjones.com/artist/nikala-bourke/


Group Exhibitions


2022     Lightwave Festival, Nubeena, Tasmania - Portholes – projections of circular water photograms.

https://discoverthetasmanpeninsula.com.au/things-to-see-and-do/markets-and-festivals/9-things-to-see-and-do/326-lightwave-festival


2022      Moonah Arts Centre, Tasmania – Protons: projections of spinning energy particles, waves of radiation.

https://www.moonahartscentre.org.au/events/photons/


2021      RANT Arts Tasmania – Minds Do Matter, QVMAG Inveresk, Launceston.

https://www.rantarts.com/minds-do-matter-launceston-2021


2020     Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, Salon Show

https://arts.yarracity.vic.gov.au/whats-on/2021/01/16/2020-ilford-ccp-salon


2018     Circle of Stones -  curated by artist Leonie Oakes, Gallery 152 York, Western Australia.

http://gallery152.com.au/exhibitions/18_circle_of_stones.php


2018      Beautiful Women - Penny Contemporary Art Gallery, Hobart. 


2018     Waves and Wave Formations – with Cath Robinson, Moonah Arts Centre, Hobart.

https://www.moonahartscentre.org.au/events/waves-and-wave-forms/?ri=12


2018      Fecund – Fertile Worlds. A Touring Exhibition curated by Clare Armitage,  Artback Northern Territory and South Australia.

https://artbacknt.com.au/show/fecund-fertile-worlds/

https://dailyreview.com.au/fecund-fertile-worlds-darwin/78193/


2018     Drawing From Earth - combined Show with artists Linda Crispin and Jillian Catto. Sawtooth ARI, Launceston.


2017     Members Show, Contemporary Art Tasmania, Hobart.


2017     Graduation Show for Honours and Masters Students, Plimsoll Gallery Hobart,Tasmanian College of the Arts, University of Tasmania.


2017     Works In Progress Show for Honours and Masters Students, Plimsoll Gallery Hobart, Tasmanian College of the Arts, University of Tasmania.

https://www.utas.edu.au/creative-arts-media/events/art-hobart/2017/july/honours-wip-exhibition


2017     Panopticon - Cocoon Installation. Presented by the Tasmanian College of the Arts, University of Tasmania, in association with Dark Mofo.


2017    Ten Days on The Island – photographer and project assistant to Dr Brigita Ozolins for her Brighton Army Camp Project

https://efd6da2c-e7fb-4b4c-95e0-1e349aa9bb4c.filesusr.com/ugd/3708cf_f27d4c3ddbc34c74b91ba900f2f4c989.pdf

https://efd6da2c-e7fb-4b4c-95e0-1e349aa9bb4c.filesusr.com/ugd/3708cf_cc32dff53855489d9012b9604ebf0c5b.pdf


2017     In Praise of Photography - TopSpace StudioGallery, Hobart. Curated by Christl Berg  and Ilona Schneider.


2017     MoMa - Mona Market -  Installation as part of art and science collaboration for The Derwent Heavy Metals Project, Mona.


2017    The Medium is the Message - with Phillip England and Dr Christine Owen, Entrepot Gallery, Hunter Street, Hobart.


2016     Members Show, Contemporary Art Tasmania, Hobart.


2016     Birchalls Tertiary Art Prize Finalist Exhibition, NEW Gallery, Launceston.


2016     Kingborough Art Prize and Exhibition, Kingston Beach Hall.


2015     Not Just Painting, The Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre.


2015     Members Show, Contemporary Art Tasmania, Hobart.


2015     Graduates Show: Final Body of Work Exhibition for Studio Majors (Photography), Tasmanian College of the Arts (Utas).


2015     Rotary Club of Hobart Annual Art Show, Wrest Point.


2015    Past Their Prime: A Celebration and Vestige with Phillip England, Entrepot Gallery, Hunter Street, Hobart.


2015     Kingborough Art Prize and Exhibition, Kingston Beach Community Hall.


2014     Members Show, Contemporary Art Tasmania, Hobart.


2014     Birchalls Tertiary Art Prize Finalist Exhibition, NEW Gallery, Launceston.

https://www.utas.edu.au/creative-arts-media/events/art-theatre-launceston/2014/september/2014-birchalls-tertiary-art-prize


2013     Members Show, Contemporary Art Tasmania, Hobart.


2009    Mawson Waterside Pavillion, Hobart. Real Beauties: Women Living with Breast Cancer, with Victoria Henderson.


Publication


Plateform - a French online magazine aimed at exhibiting new artists and talents. Issue 96, pp.100-117, 2017.

http://www.plateformag.com/magazine/article/numero-96?lang=f


University of Tasmania (Tasmanian College of the Arts) Student Booklet for 2016.

http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/887329/tasmanian-college-of-the-arts-current-students-in-art-booklet.pdf


Kingborough Chronicle, Monday, 11 May 2015.

http://www.kingboroughchronicle.com.au/index.php/component/k2/item/350-local-kingborough-art-prize-goes-national.


Togatus Magazine, Issue 6, August 2014, p.13.

http://issuu.com/togatus/docs/web_issue_six/13?e=0/15060230

Using Format