Artist Nell discusses queer identity and her creative career

In an interview with Benjamin Law, multi-award-winning artist Nell discusses her life, career, and identity. The 51-year-old artist works across various mediums, including painting, sculpture, video, and performance. Her work is held in permanent collections at institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery, the MCA, and MONA.

Nell reflects on her upbringing in Maitland, New South Wales, describing a sense of repression during her youth. She discusses her journey with sexuality, noting the binary social pressures she faced when moving to Sydney in the early 1990s. She explains how her work often explores ‘in-between places’ and bisexuality, sometimes utilizing the AC/DC lightning bolt as a personal symbol. The interview also touches upon her relationship with chef and cookbook author Kylie Kwong.