Nick Dridan's latest solo exhibition at Boom continues his interest in capturing quiet moments of life in regional Victoria in a new series of meticulously detailed paintings.
"I recently considered the Wittgenstein quote- “whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.” Although he was not referring directly to art, I believe he was making a point that language, specifically written and verbal, are human tools which have their limits. This idea seems to fit when I think about the art I make. My view is that painting is its own form of visual language, and therefore should speak for itself, about things that are difficult to express with words. This makes an artist’s statement a sort of paradox for me. What I can say about the works is that they are linked through common themes of landscape, structures, animals."
Nick Dridan lives and works in the picturesque and rural town of Amphitheatre in Central Victoria. Immersed in his environment, he paints his surroundings.
Nick is primarily drawn to abstract design elements, both in the real world and in his paintings. However, aware of working in a figurative tradition, he also considers visual narrative yet often keeps this vague and open ended. Nick completed an honours degree in Fine Arts in 2010 at The University of Ballarat and has been a finalist in various prizes including The A.M.E. Bale Prize and The Len Fox Painting Prize.
'My technical process is often painstaking, involving many initial studies and sketches before settling on a final idea. Even after this preparation, I still find myself rearranging a painting as I go, taking things out or moving things around.'
