He has most recently undertaken a residency in New York under the International Studio Programme. As with her work in other media, Nolan's banners include words and fragments of text, often 'found' quotes. The combination of colours and tone of instruction or proclamation recall political or revolutionary banners or the art of the Russian Constructivists of the early twentieth century. In being self consciously handmade, these banners draw attention to the artist's materials and production. Their rough aesthetic and unprepossessing character distinguishes them from more familiar flags and banners.
TALL references the style of popular sports banners, more feeling and fandom than fine finish.
January 2000 Kowhatu Karohirohi was commissioned from Auckland based sculptor Brett Graham in 1999 by the Victoria University Staff Club to coincide with the opening of the Adam Art Gallery. Graham created the work with a sculpture already in the VUW Art Collection, by his father, Fred Graham, in mind. Made for Victoria in 1975, Fred Graham's carving Tane and Tupai , which can be seen in the foyer of the university library, depicts the quest for knowledge. In Kowhatu Karohirohi , Brett Graham recreates the sacred stone and the work recalls how pupils of the ancient whare wananga placed stones in their mouths to act as memory aids when learning chants or whakapapa. The surface of the work comprises strips cut from aluminium lithographic plates.