Megafauna Studio – 'Who Cut Your Hair?', 2023

This work was inspired by Greg Macainsh’s short film documentary entitled “Sharpies”. Who Cut Your Hair? is an ode to the past and present, a fusion of classic and contemporary influences that seeks to capture the essence of the ancient Greek amphora form, while celebrating the musical legacy of Lobby Loyde and a fascinating era in Australian history. The Melbourne Sharpies were a rebellious youth subculture that emerged in the 60s and 70s during a time of major social change and upheaval in Australia. Coming from working class roots, they rejected both mainstream values and hippie culture and quickly developed their own sense of identity through fashion, dance, and music. Macainsh’s film shows Sharpies posing, dancing, and fighting at the “Summer Jam” music festival all set to the driving and rhythmic soundtrack of Lobby Loyde and the Coloured Balls version of “GOD”. Known for his innovative and experimental approach to music, Loyde played a pivotal role in shaping the rock and roll scene in Melbourne in the 1970s and was seen as a kind of cultural icon and musical hero to the Sharpies. His rebellious and non-conformist attitude resonated with the Sharpies own sense of defiance and individuality. Who Cut Your Hair? speaks to the power of pottery to connect us to our past, our present and narrate our experiences. It is a celebration of the timeless beauty of ancient Greek pottery, the enduring legacy of musical innovation and its impact on Australian culture.

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Megafauna Studio are a family of potters, living and working together on Garigal land on Sydney’s northern beaches.

“Our works are an expression of family life, capturing snippets of stories, memories and shared experience that connect our history to the present moment.“

The ongoing series of wheel-thrown vessels have a classical form with a naïve, rebellious, contemporary folk-art twist. Their works are both celebratory and functional, inviting the viewer to touch, admire and use them as part of everyday life. Megafauna Studio plays with the tension that comes from challenging the established classical ceramic shapes and disrupting their beauty by decorating them with raw and vibrant imagery.

Megafauna Studio was a finalist in the Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize 2021, and has exhibited work in commercial galleries across Sydney, Melbourne, and Byron Bay.

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Jugs

May 6- June 24

Read about the exhibition.

Jugs is part of Melbourne Design Week 2023, an initiative of the Victorian Government in collaboration with the NGV.

Material: white clay with slip, underglaze, sgraffito decoration.

Dimensions: approx. 34 x 26cm