Nadine Schmoll
Nadine is a Meanjin/Brisbane artist and educator whose interdisciplinary practice spans art and science to explore plant, animal and human interconnections. Her work is grounded in a nature as teacher approach that includes direct observation and research of the natural world. Nadine is interested in how humans can learn from more-than-human beings to create mutually beneficial relationships between ourselves and the world around us. Her investigations into symbiotic relationships are expressed through collaborative community projects and a sustainable approach to waste and natural materials.
What sparked the idea for the work you are exhibiting at SWELL this year?
I approached the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) for a collaboration and they drew my attention to water pollution as the most significant local threat to our reef. I was interested to create an ephemeral work that would speak to this theme, without leaving a footprint once the festival was over.
What’s something people might not realise about the process behind your work?
Collaboration and community engagement is an important aspect of my work, to generate discussion on environmental themes and to inspire behaviour change. For this year’s sculpture, I collaborated with AMCS and with Rocky Point, a third-generation farming family that produces organic sugarcane mulch and is committed to sustainable farming practices. Their sugarcane bales will be donated to Southern Beaches Community Garden following the close of the festival.
What role does location or environment play in your sculptures?
SWELL is special because as artists we have the canvas of the beach to work with. I particularly love working with sand in different ways, often as a medium for artmaking or as a stage in which to situate the work. Place is integral to my work – the way an artwork may change over time due to its exposure in the environment. This could be through sunlight and UV, or exposure to wind and rain, or even through interactions with the public. This allows for the unexpected and grounds the work more closely with its surrounding environment.
Is there a moment or memory that shaped you as an artist?
I’ve always enjoyed getting my hands dirty and experimenting with materials to better understand their potential. As a kid I used to wade in mud a metre deep along the Brisbane River, just for fun. My parents gave us the freedom to explore, to invent and to create, which I’m really grateful for. If I had to pinpoint one moment, I’d say the months I spent living on Lady Elliot Island have shaped my direction for environmental art and environmental education.
What keeps you coming back to sculpture as a form of expression?
I love sculpture for its 3-dimensional qualities (obviously!) but also the material possibilities. Size and scale are interesting to play around with. Most of all though I love that sculptural installations inhabit space, and the myriad possibilities of the sculpture interacting with that space and the people in it.
If you could install your work anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Underwater but still visible from the surface. Ephemeral without impacting its environment.
Come and see for yourself at SWELL Sculpture Festival, Pacific Parade, Currumbin 12th – 21st September.