Neon Parc | Nabilah Nordin

Nabilah Nordin was born in 1991 in Singapore. Lives and works in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia.

Nabilah Nordin’s materially driven practice explores the formal possibilities and surface potential of sculpture. She employs improvised construction methods to build elaborate abstract forms, dramatizing their physicality so that they seem to defy gravity or teeter on the edge of collapse. Often working at scale, Nordin subverts the language of monumental sculpture by incorporating unconventional materials, such as deflated balloons and resin-coated bread. Taking visual cues from her immediate surroundings, her recent works draw upon coalescing, entangled structures. The surfaces of her sculptures are treated as disguises and sites of performance, often mimicking the appearance of natural phenomena, like rock formations or excavated artefacts. However, she resists direct representation, embracing ambiguity and drawing attention to the tactile and sensorial qualities of her materials. In doing so, she seeks to invest inanimate objects with agency, vitality and humour.

Nordin completed a Master of Contemporary Art at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2015, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts at RMIT University in 2013. Nordin’s work has been widely exhibited at museums, biennales and galleries across Australia and Asia.

Selected works (52)

Exhibitions (2)

‘Scripts’
Brunswick
7 Mar.–5 Apr.
2025

‘Prop Shop’
Brunswick
25 Jun.–23 Jul.
2022

Curriculum vitae (PDF)

Solo Exhibitions

2025: ‘Scripts’, Neon Parc Brunswick, Melbourne
2024: ‘Primary Matter’, Parrasch Heijnen, Los Angeles
2023: ‘The Australian Embassy’, Washington DC, United States; ‘The National: New Australian Art’, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney; ‘Melbourne Now’, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
2022: ‘New Positions’, 55th Art Cologne, Cologne, Germany; ‘Tapestry’, Canberra Art Biennial, Canberra; ‘Prop Shop’, Neon Parc Brunswick, Melbourne; ‘BEYOND’, Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne
2021: ‘Birdbrush and other essentials’, Heide Museum of ModernArt, Melbourne; ‘Please Do Not Eat The Sculptures’, Missing Persons, Melbourne; ‘Connecting the World through Sculpture’, Monash University Museum of Art, 2020; ‘Sculpture House’, Home Exhibition, Melbourne; ‘Covergirl Adhesives’, COMA Gallery, Sydney
2019: ‘An Obstacle in Every Direction’, Singapore Biennale, Singapore; ‘Stop Peeping’, Cement Fondu Project Space, Sydney; ‘Love Cushions’, with Nick Modrzewski, Firstdraft, Sydney
2018: ‘glup plunc glerp thint than nurp earm tinn gamp shtirt’, DISINIFestival, Singapore; ‘The Nutmeg Dream’, with NickModrzewski, OH Open House,Singapore
2017: ‘Malay Wedding’, Chapter House Lane, Melbourne; ‘Vacuum Cleaning and Exotic Birds’, with Nick Modrzewski, Fort Delta, Melbourne

Selected Group Exhibitions

2024: ‘Undo the Day’, National Art School, Sydney
2023: ‘Keith Sonnier: Live in Your Head’ Parrasch Heijnen, Los Angeles; ‘Fantastic Forms’, Bundanon Art Museum, NSW
2022: ‘Be My Once in a Lifetime’, Fiona and Sidney Myer Gallery, VCA, Melbourne; ‘A thousand different angles’, McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery, Melbourne
2021: ‘SIMMER’, Murray Art Museum Albury, Albury; ‘Ramsay Art Prize’, Art Gallery of South Australia; ‘Emerging Topographies’, Yavuz Gallery, Sydney; ‘Connect: Part Two’, Footscray Community Arts Centre; ‘Papier Mâché’, Missing Persons, Melbourne; ‘Parade for the Moon’, RISING Festival, Melbourne
2020: ‘Salient Features’, Changwon Sculpture Biennale, South Korea; ‘Churchie Emerging Art Prize’, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane; ‘Online Viewing Room’, Melbourne Art Fair with Neon Parc, Melbourne; ‘Snow Globe’, LON Gallery, Melbourne; ‘1991’, Neon Parc Brunswick, Melbourne
2019: ‘Rules of Engagement’, Substation SAD Bar, Singapore; ‘Peace Altitude’, The Commercial, Sydney; ‘Those Monuments Don’t Know Us’, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Melbourne; ‘Keith and Elisabeth Murdoch Travelling Fellowship’, Margaret Lawrence, Melbourne
2018: ‘In a World of Wounds’, Artbank, Sydney
2017: ‘SERIOUS WORK’, Rearview Gallery, Melbourne; ‘From the ocean to the silver city’, Australia High Commission, Singapore; ‘Mark all as read’, Blindside, Melbourne
2016: ‘The World Precedes The Eye’, Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, Singapore Various; ‘Findings’, Chamber Presents, Melbourne; ‘The Hunch’, Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne

Collections

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne
MIIA Collection

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Nabilah Nordin, ‘Fountain', 2023. Wood, epoxy modelling compound, acrylic paint, 188 x 61 x 46 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, ‘Trapdoor', 2023. Bronze, 183 x 64 x 46 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, ‘Satellite', 2023. Wood, epoxy modelling compound, metallic pigments, 72 x 67 x 46 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, ‘Castle', 2023. Wood, epoxy modelling compound, foam, acrylic paint, 47 x 36 x 20 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, ‘Stiletto', 2023. Bronze, 173 x 68 x 48.

Nabilah Nordin, ‘Kitten', 2023. Wood, epoxy modelling compound, acrylic paint, gloss varnish, 59 x 48 x 25 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Drooper 216B', 2021. Wood, chickenwire, polyurethane foam, plaster bandage, plaster, epoxy resin, polyurethane pigments, 143 x 54 x 57 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Creamed Angel', 2021. Wood, rope, cement, sand, oxides, epoxy resin, spray paint, paper pulp, construction adhesive, polyurethane sealant, 63 x 37 x 36 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Music Shelf', 2021. Wood, chickenwire, polyurethane foam, cement, sand, house paint, epoxy dough, spray paint, 124 x 51 x 35 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'An Obstacle in Every Direction', 2019. Singapore Biennale, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore. Installation view. Photography: Singapore Art Museum.

Nabilah Nordin, 'An Obstacle in Every Direction', 2019. Singapore Biennale, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore. Installation view.  Photography: Singapore Art Museum.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Anchor', 2021, Wood, chicken wire, polyurethane foam, paper pulp, plaster, house paint, pigments and epoxyglass, 39 x 26 x 37 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Bird Tray', 2022. Epoxy modelling compound, mouldable plastic, polyurethane pigment, polystyrene, spray paint, construction adhesives, wood, 83 x 36 x 40 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Curdled Stone', 2021' Wood, alginate dust, hydrostone, chicken wire, polyurethane foam, pigments and epoxyglass, 30 x 23 x 25 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Pyjamas', 2021. Wood, chickenwire, plaster bandage, epoxy resin, sand, polyurethane pigments, spray paint, 43 x 35 x 31 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Floral Trumpet', 2021. Wood, wax, rock, plaster scraps, chicken wire, polyurethane foam, fabric, dried play dough, plaster, glue, spray paint, pigment and epoxyglass, 24 x 25 x 43 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Making Space', 2021, as part of 'Connecting the World through Sculpture', MUMA, Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne.  Photography, Keelan O’Hehir.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Moles and Warts', 2020. Wood, plaster bandage, plaster, broom, mover’s dolly, chicken wire, polyurethane foam, metal spoon, 158 x 101 x 60 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Domestic Dough Facility', 2021, as part of 'Simmer', Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA), Albury. Curated by Nanette Orly.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Birdbrush and Other Essentials', 2021–22, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne. Installation view. Photography: Christo Crocker. 

Nabilah Nordin, 'Hyperflux', 2022. Epoxy modelling compound, mouldable plastic, polyurethane pigment, spray paint, construction adhesives, wood, 53 x 40 x 27 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Puzzle', 2022. Epoxy modelling compound, mouldable plastic, polyurethane pigment, spray paint, construction adhesives, wood, 54 x 36 x 42 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Opal', 2022. Epoxy modelling compound, mouldable plastic, polyurethane pigment, spray paint, construction adhesives, wood, 65 x 35 x 26 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Night Screen', 2022. Welded steel, structural wire mesh, cement, sand, hydrated lime, cement fibres, mortar plasticiser, cement waterproofer, synthetic iron oxide, exterior undercoat, water based acrylic spray paint, exterior paint, concrete sealer, 213 x 68 x 55 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Paperweight', 2021. Welded steel objects, chickenwire, cement, plaster, house paint and spray paint, 42 x 38 x 14 cm.

Nabilal Nordin, 'Air-weight', 2021. Wood, chickenwire, epoxy dough, polyurethane pigments, 48 x 27 x 22 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Twizzle', 2022. Epoxy modelling compound, mouldable plastic, polyurethane pigment, spray paint, construction adhesives, wood, 65 x 37 x 35 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Fortune Net Wrap', 2022. Epoxy modelling compound, mouldable plastic, polyurethane pigment, spray paint, construction adhesives, wood, 68 x 31 x 40 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Luxury Lounger', 2022. Welded steel, structural wire mesh, cement, sand, hydrated lime, cement fibres, mortar plasticiser, cement waterproofer, polyurethane insulation, synthetic iron oxide, exterior undercoat, epoxy modelling compound, water based acrylic spray paint, concrete sealer, 75 x 90 x 210 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, installation view, 'Beyond', Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne, 2022. Curated by Emily Cormack.

Nabilah Nordin, 'The Tie and the Undercoat', 2022. Wood, mouldable plastic, epoxy modelling compound, spray paint, walking stick, 123 x 45 x 36 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Smudging Day', 2020. Rickety wood structure (old bed frame), hand sewn doona, cement, sand, smashed-on paper pulp, bonding and sealing agent, crispy play dough, cement based cornflakes, feathers (from feather duster), ‘sample pot’ house paints, plaster and paper porridge pie, egg beater, glass mixing bowl, bottom of bucket leftovers (replica Nerds clumps), pillow insides, old collar shirt/rag, wooden pegs, muddy sock, rope, plaster bandage, screws, soil and sealer paste, polyurethane foam, chrome silver spray paint, chicken wire, miscellaneous filth (snot?), mover’s dolly, spoon, aluminium foil, wire, old milk bottle, bald cap with green gunk applied, rubber band, whisk with curdled hair and jute twine, 212 x 115 x 70 cm. Documentation by Simon Strong.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Peak Performance Plan (Figure Ensemble)', 2016. Installation view from 'The World Precedes The Eye,' Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore. Documentation by Weizhong Deng.

'Sculpture House'. 2020. Installation view, artists' home. Documentation by Christo Crocker.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Molten Slayer', 2022. Wood, foam, canvas, epoxy modelling compound, spray paint, 339 x 129 x 96 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Fortune Nights', 2022. Wood, epoxy modelling compound, foam, powdered pigments, glass ball, spray paint, 42 x 37.5 x 14 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'The Athlete Wins Again', 2022. Wood, epoxy modelling compound, spray paint, gloss varnish, 72.5 x 21 x 27 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Treasuredome', 2022. Wood, epoxy modelling, compound, powdered pigments, pyrite, spray paint, necklace, beads, 63 x 27.5 x 21 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Twin Caterers', 2022. Wood, epoxy modelling compound, polyurethane pigments, spray paint, acrylic paint, 53 x 43 x 22 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Academy', 2022. Welded hot rolled steel, MDF, clay, plaster, papier mâché, adhesives, acrylic paint, 154 x 47 x 88 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Bread Prison', 2022. Flour, water, salt, wood, epoxy modelling compound, polyurethane pigments, epoxy glass resin, 194 x 82 x 130 cm.

Nabilah Nordin, 'Ballroom', 2022. Wood, foam, epoxy, modelling compound, wire, acrylic lacquer, powdered pigments, 201 x 74 x 72 cm.