New curator Nicholls knows the landscape

LORNE Sculpture Biennale has a new curator, following the appointment of Lara Nicholls last week.
She moves into the role after long-time curator Julie Collins stepped down at the conclusion of this year’s event this month.
Ms Nicholls comes to the biennale with the Australian arts community.
She has worked at Sotheby’s as Australian paintings specialist and later at Deutscher and Hackett as senior art specialist and head of corporate collections, and in 2008 she curated and travelled an exhibition of indigenous art to Zurich.
She has also held consulting positions including as co-author of the catalogue for the Athenaeum Club’s art collection.
Lara will combine her position as curator for the Lorne Sculpture Biennale with her role as assistant curator, Australian paintings and sculpture at the National Gallery of Australia.
“I am thrilled to be appointed as the curator of the 2018 Lorne Sculpture Biennale,” Ms Nicholls said.
“The Otway landscape is a national treasure and Lorne is a unique location with a sense of tamed wildness to it.
“I am enjoying the challenge of articulating this already beautiful space with contemporary art in a meaningful way that moves our visitors.
“Devising the 2018 brief is one of the most inspiring jobs I have ever done but most of all I just can’t wait to see what artists here and abroad come up with.”
Ms Nicholls was born and grew up in Lorne, where her parents and extended family were the founders of the famous Arab cafe.
She maintains family connections in Lorne and she and her three children spend most of their holidays there.