Saint Sebastian martyred five times
(2018)

• Nicholas SMITH

Saint Sebastian’s figure is fragmented, with portions of his idealised Classical form encircling a slumped vessel. The form of the vessel itself evokes the curves of a body, perhaps in pleasure or duress. There is tension in the work as the physical properties of the clay resist artist Nicholas Smith’s desire to create an idealised vase form. This tension reveals the artist’s conflicting desire for the saint and his apprehension towards traditions of Western religious imagery in the Australian context.