Aussie culture from artist’s brush

ARTIST Tim Vagg’s Cultureghosts, which is on in the Art Gallery of Ballarat’s Backspace, is seeking to re-frame the role of the typical Aussie male in culture.

Inspired by the colours and graphics of magazine the Australasian Post, and old social studies books, Vagg said the exhibition of mixed media works examines the country’s identity and attitudes, particularly in the mid-to-late 20th century.

“I drew from both those sources with the imagery, and I’ve been interested in the inadequacies of the depiction of culture and history,” he said.

“Let’s face it, there’s a blurred and misogynist view, very much about the white male, and other stories were obliterated in dominance of that white male culture.”

The exhibition’s main “hero work,” references a retro ‘OMO adds brightness’ washing powder ad campaign with a skipping girl cartoon.

“The allegory of washing away the dirty, or the other, and keeping the whites white, was interesting to me,” he said.

“Throughout the show is a lot of imagery taken from the Australasian Post, like the Winfield cigarette ads, the sexist cartoons, and images of the Australian male.”

Vagg studied at the University of Ballarat’s Arts Academy but said only a few of his classmates are still practicing.

He couldn’t imagine his life without painting.

“I can’t not do it,” he said. “I’ve tried to not do it, but I just can’t. It’s in me.

“It’s a form of therapy, I suppose. I’m also a musician, so I’m always creating in one form or another.

“At home I’ve got a big shed studio, which is bigger than my house, so I have space to paint, and my partner is a video artist, so she is a big inspiration and sounding board for me.”

Now based in Kyneton, Vagg said he’s been excited to reconnect with his hometown of Ballarat and to be backed by one of the country’s leading galleries.

“Art Gallery of Ballarat and the staff here are so awesome, and I’ve wanted to have some work shown here because I think regional galleries, like Ballarat, Bendigo and Shepparton, are just booming,” he said.

“At the opening, I had a really warm reception which blew me away. Geoff Wallis, my former lecturer, gave a great talk.”

Cultureghosts is on display until 21 January, and works are for sale.