Once grand, now vanished: A preservation of beauty erased
ArtRage 2024 exhibition view of Burnt and Paved Over by Nina McLean. Image: QVMAG.
In a meticulous series of architectural illustrations, Nina McLean honours the memory of lost buildings—spaces once grand, now vanished by accident, fire, or senseless demolition. Each drawing is a gentle act of resistance against cultural amnesia; a preservation of beauty erased.
Spanning iconic losses from the Crystal Palace in London to Melbourne’s Federal Coffee Palace, her Burnt and Paved Over series is rendered in graphite, ink, and watercolour with a fine, almost archival hand.
Inspired by 80s comic art and 19th-century illustrators, Nina's style fuses romantic detail with graphic precision. Her work has appeared in the Glenorchy Youth Open 2024 and she’s also a talented designer, contributing to school publications across Hobart.
She said, “I’m thrilled to be part of ArtRage 2024—it’s exciting to see these stories shared.”
ArtRage 2024 exhibition view of Burnt and Paved Over by Nina McLean. Image: QVMAG
Burnt and Paved Over received the Examiner’s Choice award for the Visual Art subject. TCE Examiner Paul Snell noted, “The examiners were deeply impressed by the technical mastery evident in her series of exquisite drawings. Nina’s artwork captivates through its meticulous detail, enchanting tonal qualities, and striking graphic elements.
“The beautiful graphic quality of her drawings enhances their visual impact, creating compositions that are bold yet intricate, contemporary yet steeped in historical reflection. This refined balance draws the viewer in, encouraging close observation before dissolving into near abstraction.
“This interplay between precision, abstraction, and graphic design showcases Nina’s remarkable skill and innovative approach, resulting in a series that is both visually stunning and deeply reflective. The examiners described this quiet yet powerful body of work as a triumph in design.
“Her work stands as a testament to her extraordinary talent and vision.”
Nina hopes to break into the Australian animation industry as a storyboard artist or concept designer. She has sage advice for those studying TCE art subjects:
“Start now. Don't wait and think you can finish it all in semester 2, because you won't! Start early. You won't finish it all in semester two!
“Find the first good idea that makes you excited and run with it. Your job as an art student is to make as much bad art as possible so you can eventually make good art in the future, so don't aim for perfection, try to learn something new instead through trial and error (through many, many errors)!”
Nina McLean, Burnt and Paved Over 2024
The Cornelius Vanderbilt II House, New York, 20 x 150cm
Børsen, Copenhagen,20 x 50cm
The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, 20 x 50cm
The Cliff House, San Francisco, 20 x 75cm
The Federal Coffee Palace, Melbourne,20 x 100cm
The Crystal Palace, London, 20 x 100cm
Graphite, watercolour & ink illustrations
Examiners Choice, Visual Art