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BlacklisT

Art Gallery

Nikki Romney

WORKS AVAILABLE

Mother Nature distraught amid a dying planet, but ... don't worry, everything's gunna be alright (Bob Marley)

THREE LITTLE BIRDS

1220 x 870,  oil

The planet's burning, or drowning, or choking to death and Mother Nature's distraught ... 'but don't worry, 'bout a thing, cos every little thing's gunna be all right now'..   sings Marley.  A signature work, and it's taken more than two years to complete!

Are we evolving toward a more tolerant society where people can be whoever they choose?

WANNABE ME 

1220 x 820  - oil, graphite

This work explores the hope we're evolving to a point where people can be whoever they choose to be.   

Lady Liberty as a strong, self-assured, naked woman refusing to back down (Tom Petty) in the face of cancel culture.

LADY LIBERTY

930x820 - oil

Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett eventually succumbed to his many demons. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

CRAZY DIAMOND 

1500 x 600

oil, graphite, ink

Syd Barrett, legendary founding member of the brilliant Pink Floyd, loved painting flowers, but eventually succumbed to his many demons. 

Cannibalism was practiced among many cultures. Based on an 80s song.  Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

I EAT CANNIBALS

800 x 600

oil, acrylic, ink

Inspired by Sting's old song with the Police, which asked if ''the Russian's love their children too".  Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

JET PLANES & POPCORN BOMBS

700x550

Reality tv, or is it real?!

Inspiration for this painting came from the early days of Russia's war on Ukraine, where many of us gravitated to our televisions for the latest update - some sitting down with snacks. 

Taking Back New Zealand ... yes there are two paths we can go on. Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

WE'RE TAKING BACK NZ

780 x 580

oil, mixed media

 "What do you think, we're taking back New Zealand!".  That was the news on the street in Nelson  2021.

Nikki Romney's take on current debate around Te Tiriti, including handpainted images of Te Pāti Māori co-leaders.

ONE LAW, ONE PEOPLE, ONE SONG

The song is Puha and Pakeha!

780 x 750 - oil & mixed media

Waitangi Day 2024  - The political lead up was interesting with our new coalition government. This is my satirical representation.,  

What we need is a great big melting pot ... original hit-maker Madeline Bell from Blue Mink in the foreground.  Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

MELTING POT

1220 x 800

oil, graphite

Featuring Madeline Bell from Blue Mink, the original singer of a very popular song in the past.  Still popular today but banned in the UK.  It may be banned in New Zealand soon?  Shows what a fucked up mess cultural slights have become as we all become more integrated in a multicultural world.

Beauty and the Priest is the tragic, true story of Jeri's conversion therapy and family pressure.

BEAUTY AND THE PRIEST

610 x 610 oil/ mixed media

Self-portrait after being arrested for attempting to 'out' people inciting violence against her and other artists.

SELF-PORTRAIT AFTER BEING ARRESTED IN 2021

460 x 310

The controversy,  arrest,  and eventual court case was fairly stressful at the time, but there was a positive aspect to it all.   It led to another conversation about cultural appropriation/appreciation.. and what are the boundaries.  Iwi were upset & angry, as was I.  Both of us fierce advocates for our strong held beliefs.

Goodbye Dr Seuss, suggesting the colour is going out of our children's worlds. Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

GOODBYE DR SEUSS

550 x 450 (in progress)

Beloved children's books, cartoons, movies are being banned by limited thinking adults. Are we on the cusp of a Bland New World?

Silence like a cancer grows ... Nikki's Romney's take on an old classic. Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

SOUND OF SILENCE

1220 x 800

People fear the consequences of speaking out,  but when the rest of us stay silent, the bullying factions only become stronger.

Where do religious leaders who dare to subjugate and control women think they came from? Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

ORIGINS   SOLD

750 x 420

In the beginning, there was... well, woman, actually.  Then along comes a bunch of anxious, inadequate, misogynistic men who invented God so they could control the rest of us.  This work's intended as a reminder to those so-called religious leaders of where they come from.  Where would they be without us women?  

Culture wars are being staged around the globe, affecting individual liberties. Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

FASHION CRIMINAL 

1000 x 700

Take Me to Church by Hozier inspired Nikki Romney to contrast innocent love with crumbling religious intolerance. Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

TAKE ME TO CHURCH   SOLD

1220 x 800

WORKS  SOLD

Loving Lola, about being free to be ourselves. Nikki ROmney, Blacklist Art Gallery, Nelson NZ

LOVING LOLA

1080 x 560

Songbirds ... they mimic, they thrill, they be whoever they want to be. Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

SONGBIRD

1200 x 800

Bob Dylan with black Les Paul and a backdrop of current times of change. Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

CHANGIN' TIMES  2020

800 x 1220

Some want to share our unique culture; others to ring-fence it. Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

TAKING TIKANGA TO THE WORLD

1400 x 1000

A painting celebrating Maori culture.  I was inspired by an app put out by Te Wananga O Aotearoa, where all people can digitally apply kirituhi moko and feel connected to Maori culture & see how they look with this tattoo.  A great topic to paint on.  My own painting of CF Goldie's - Ina (Ena) te Papatahi in the background - how would she feel about the sharing of this moko app?

This painting caused quite a stir due to moko on the chins of non-Maori, and also my using an ancestor in this work.  Folk were ignorant of Te Wananga's APP.

Award-winning riff on freedom v the limitations of group thinking. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

ELEUTHERIA

800 x 600

This one was rejected for a Nelson art award so I sent it off to a national art awards where it achieved first place.  I also received runner-up for another work in the same competition that year. Eleutheria (ancient Greek  personification of liberty) interprets the gap between controlled thought and freedom. 

Intended to be a tribute to a strong Nelson figure, Huria Matenga. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

HURIA MATENGA - REWORKED

850 x 620

Intended as a quirky tribute to one of the powerful female figures of Nelson's past. My original work depicted Huria topless with nipple piercings - a strong, proud and beautiful woman - embracing pakeha ways. I envisioned her unashamedly baring her breasts when the christian missionaries told her to cover up.  After controversy from members of her iwi (Ngati Tama) and threats to sue me, I reluctantly made alterations. The work also depicted a current Nelson storm, referencing her part in the historic rescue of the Delaware crew.

Nikki Romney's take on the foolishness of early Christian belief. What was the real snake in Eden? Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

ADAM AND EVE

420 x 600

My take on the creation myth, where they blamed Eve for tempting poor Adam to sin.  Then there was the big scary serpent.  Poor Adam.  From the day this story came to life women were blamed for tempting men .

Another work inspired by Dylan. The order is rapidly fading. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

THE ORDER IS RAPIDLY FADIN'

1200 x 800

Inspired by a visit to the Belvedere in Austria, where Napoleon on the Mount hangs. Nikki watched huge queues waiting to get a selfie in front of the famous work. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

THE SELFIE

1350 x 970

Jacinda Adern as puppet leader unable to do a thing about child poverty, despite glib promises. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

LET'S DO THIS  

550 x 1220

The Boat Shed Cafe, photographed by Nikki Romney during a major storm event and repainted. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

THE BOATSHED

500 x 600

Nikki's take on strong women being called power-hungry bitches. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

THE THREE BITCHES

520 x 850

Inspired by the mosque shootings in Christchurch. Jacinda portrayed as a Weeping Madonna. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

THE WEEPING MADONNA

750 x 680

Johnny Depp, Donald Trump, Winston Peters, Judith Collins ... all performing their roles on the big stage of life. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE

1200 x 660

The fallen angel looks down in sorrow on what the world has become since the first woman, Lilith, refused to submit.

LILITH

850 x 720

A girl tries to block out religious indoctrination but appears to be morphing into a puppet. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

LET ME BE 

570 x 420

Sold to former Starbucks International president Howard Behar in the states. He saw it on a visit to Nelson around 2015

The innocence of children and the vile deception of over-bearing religious instruction Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

MAKE BELIEVE - NFS

600 x 1200

Women trapped by indoctrination while the bird flies free. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

THE INSUBORDINATE WOMAN

480 x 760

Featured In the background - some of the words in religious books that subjugate women.  Another work sold to a collector in the States.

The subjegation of women by religious intolerance. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

INSUBORDINATE WIFE, 2 

840 x 540

The temperation understood to be the point at which life began in the Big Bang.  Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

5.5 TRILLION DEGREES CELCIUS 

1500 x 1100

A dancer soars free while the nuns in sensible clothes remain grounded. Which path will the child follow? Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

DANCER

800 x 600

An angry mob attacks the proponents of free speech, including the artist. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

MOB RULE

750 x 600

The artist great grandmother, Alice Romney. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

ALICE ROMNEY

550 x 420

Portrait of my great grandmother.  Extended family moved over from England.  The Fencibles settled in Howick, Auckland.

A rare Romney still life donated from the artist's personal collection to the Suter Art Gallery. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

PINOT AND VERSACE

750 x 680

Angel lust and love combine in a tribute to Shakespeare's famous sonnet.

SONNET 116 

660 x 480

Among the artist's last abstract landscapes, before she turned to political and social messaging in her art. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

NOT ANOTHER FUCKIN' LANDSCAPE

500 x 1000

A study of a woman, sold by the artist while still incomplete. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

STUDY -  UNFINISHED

500 x 1000

The Bible and man's inhumanity to man. Original artwork by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

THE ADAM PAINTING

1200 x 900

This sparked a lot of controversy at the time, with arts writer Hamish Keith devoting a whole column in the Listener to it, suggesting censorship in the arts was the true obscenity. One of two works sold to Texas musician Rod Williams and his Kiwi-born songbird partner Shelley Mac.

From The Joker ... who's laughing now. Nikki Romney's takes another look at freedom of expression being stifled by PC. Painting by Nikki Romney, Blacklist Art Gallery, leading Nelson Art Gallery-Studio.

WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?

 850 x 580

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