Jillian Nalty

Drawn to the strange and uncanny, Jillian Nalty often begins with observed forms and textures that evoke a visceral, sensual response. Through unexpected material relationships and familiar forms made strange, she creates works that move between beauty and the grotesque, attraction and repulsion.

In 'Protection, Strength and Beauty', irregular freshwater pearls drip down the faces of the birch plywood pyramids, like tears. I'm drawn to the unexpected contrast between the preciousness of the pearls and the ordinary plywood, alongside the cold stainless steel pyramid, which feels machine-like in comparison.

The introduction of freshwater pearls marks the beginning of a more personal investigation into my relationship with my mother, her experience of migration to Australia and my family's history of colonisation. I'm interested in the pearl as something that forms within a protective shell, and how an object associated with beauty can also speak to vulnerability.