Nick Modrzewski

Nick Modrzewski (b. 1988) is a Naarm/Melbourne based artist whose work investigates law and social ritual. Densely layered acrylic paintings form the backbone of Modrzewski’s practice, where he depicts figures intertwined with legal processes or bureaucratic systems: naked neighbours wrestle over a fencing dispute; a congregation of medieval noses gather to draft legislation; and suited men compete in a plant watering competition. In each of his scenes, Modrzewski picks apart the rules of social engagements, rendering them in a sensuous and fluid painterly language. An abiding interest in narrative, theatre and absurdity define the tone of Modrzewski’s works, which also encompass sculpture, text and performance.

Nick Modrzewski holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Victorian College of the Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Melbourne. He has exhibited locally and internationally, including at COMA (Sydney); Watch This Space (Alice Springs); La Trobe Art Institute (Bendigo); Monash University Museum of Art (Melbourne); Contour Sculpture Biennial (Canberra); Discordia (Melbourne); First Draft (Sydney); the Institute of Contemporary Arts (Singapore); Blindside (Melbourne); Fort Delta (Melbourne); KINGS ARI (Melbourne); OH Open House (Singapore); and the Australian High Commission (Singapore). His writing has been published by Running Dog; Art & Australia; Monash University Museum of Art; un Magazine; Writing & Concepts; the Lifted Brow; Fireflies; VRE Books and The Research Handbook on Art and Law. Modrzewski is a board member of West Space.

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Nick Modrzewski in his studio in Melbourne, Australia, 2022. Photo by Simon Strong. Image courtesy of the artist and COMA, Sydney.