Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree, 2023

At once grounded and transcendent, this bronze figure in a seated meditation position is a self portrait of acclaimed Sydney-based artist Nell. Fusing mythological and personal symbolism, the work explores the complexities of personal growth, transformation and femininity. This is more than a literal likeness. The artist explains: 'The spirituality within the work is about being human: walking is spiritual, sitting is spiritual, eating is spiritual. Tree worship is universal, as is our symbiotic relation with trees. It's in our language; mother nature, family tree, the tree of life … Here I'm asking, "Am I the same as the tree?" and answering, "I am the tree".'

Philosophical concepts, binary opposites and pop culture have been recurring themes throughout Nell’s 25-year multidisciplinary practice. Motifs such as the ghost face figure, which in this self portrait float amid Nell's fantastical tree limbs, appear and reappear in different creative projects. While it conveys ephemerality, this work relied on the labour-intensive processes of bronze forging and glassblowing, playing with the tension between permanence and transience.

Purchased with funds provided by the Portrait Dinner Series 2023
© Nell courtesy of STATION