Features
art & design
Eamo
Aussie Flavour
"Fingers crossed, when the trend dies I’ll still be able to get away with chucking a gum leaf or a prawn into an artwork." Eamo
Coming from an industrial city down south of Oz called Geelong (or ‘Geebanger’ as the locals call it), Eamo drew his way through school, got out and studied design in Melbourne in 2000. He then worked at various fashion houses around Melbourne until leaving the game early on and giving illustration and art a crack. It has been four years now since Eamo began killing it, developing a personal and shiny style with his je ne sais quoi of Aussie flavour.
What is the philosophy behind your approach to a new project?
Often my first thoughts are “how can I add some Australian flavour into this piece?” These days I get approached by clients or collectives for the fact that my work has this style to it; clients are really receptive to it, which is a bonus. But it’s purely a coincidence that Aussie stuff is in vogue right now. I’ve always had this weird obsession with it since my childhood. Fingers crossed, when the trend dies I’ll still be able to get away with chucking a gum leaf or a prawn into an artwork. And hopefully my work won’t end up in the same bracket as Yahoo Serious, Koala Blue or Crocodile Dundee, all of which I respect but they where unfortunately casualties of the international ‘Australiana’ fad of the 80s. Good times.
Do you reckon that the recognition overseas of people like Jeremyville or Ben Frost is opening doors for a whole generation of Aussie artists?
No doubt about it. Those two are killing it around the globe; I agree with picking Jeremyville and Ben Frost as examples of Aussie’s getting recognition overseas – can’t get any better than those blokes. Ben has been a huge supporter of young up and coming Aussie artists, you just have to look at stupidkrap.com – being next to guys like him, Jeremyville, Lister etc. on the site is a huge boost for guys like myself in getting seen by the same international audience as they are.
Tell us a bit more about the art scene in Melbourne… How is it different from other Australian cities?
The Melbourne scene is a tough nut to crack, in the four years I’ve been doing this caper, the last two I’ve managed to notch up six or so shows in Sydney as opposed to one in Melbourne. It’s a classic, when I meet people from Melbourne they always think I’m from Sydney. They look at my art and instantly think “yep, he’s a Bondi bloke“ I’ve been told those exact words. And the Sydney folk thought I was a local up until recently. It stems back to my upbringing, I didn’t grow up in the city, I’m practically from the south coast so my art has a distinct Aussie feel which is stereotypically more Sydney, whereas Melbourne has a very European culture without that tradition of an outdoor lifestyle.
What do you usually do when you’re not working?
Chill at the beach, go to movies, a pub beer and a parma, go for a cruise in the 74 XB Fairmont, barbies [bbq's].
What are you currently working on?
I just finished three new prints for the SemiPermanent exhibition Kids Today and a black and white wall installation at the Annadale Hotel in Sydney. Soon I’ll be starting a custom wallet for a new Poketo Australiana series, painting three decks for the No Comply show later this year and another deck, where the artwork is laser burned into the wood, for a group show at China Heights gallery in Sydney.
Hooroo!
Eamo’s got a milkbar! Check it out at eamo.com.au
Back
Often my first thoughts are “how can I add some Australian flavour into this piece?” These days I get approached by clients or collectives for the fact that my work has this style to it; clients are really receptive to it, which is a bonus. But it’s purely a coincidence that Aussie stuff is in vogue right now. I’ve always had this weird obsession with it since my childhood. Fingers crossed, when the trend dies I’ll still be able to get away with chucking a gum leaf or a prawn into an artwork. And hopefully my work won’t end up in the same bracket as Yahoo Serious, Koala Blue or Crocodile Dundee, all of which I respect but they where unfortunately casualties of the international ‘Australiana’ fad of the 80s. Good times.
Do you reckon that the recognition overseas of people like Jeremyville or Ben Frost is opening doors for a whole generation of Aussie artists?
No doubt about it. Those two are killing it around the globe; I agree with picking Jeremyville and Ben Frost as examples of Aussie’s getting recognition overseas – can’t get any better than those blokes. Ben has been a huge supporter of young up and coming Aussie artists, you just have to look at stupidkrap.com – being next to guys like him, Jeremyville, Lister etc. on the site is a huge boost for guys like myself in getting seen by the same international audience as they are.
Tell us a bit more about the art scene in Melbourne… How is it different from other Australian cities?
The Melbourne scene is a tough nut to crack, in the four years I’ve been doing this caper, the last two I’ve managed to notch up six or so shows in Sydney as opposed to one in Melbourne. It’s a classic, when I meet people from Melbourne they always think I’m from Sydney. They look at my art and instantly think “yep, he’s a Bondi bloke“ I’ve been told those exact words. And the Sydney folk thought I was a local up until recently. It stems back to my upbringing, I didn’t grow up in the city, I’m practically from the south coast so my art has a distinct Aussie feel which is stereotypically more Sydney, whereas Melbourne has a very European culture without that tradition of an outdoor lifestyle.
What do you usually do when you’re not working?
Chill at the beach, go to movies, a pub beer and a parma, go for a cruise in the 74 XB Fairmont, barbies [bbq's].
What are you currently working on?
I just finished three new prints for the SemiPermanent exhibition Kids Today and a black and white wall installation at the Annadale Hotel in Sydney. Soon I’ll be starting a custom wallet for a new Poketo Australiana series, painting three decks for the No Comply show later this year and another deck, where the artwork is laser burned into the wood, for a group show at China Heights gallery in Sydney.
Hooroo!
Eamo’s got a milkbar! Check it out at eamo.com.au
Back
Related Articles
Jeremyville
Before becoming one of the most recognized Australian artists, the man behind Jeremyville spent a wonderful childhood grewing up in Wonderland Avenue, near Bondi in Sydney. Well, who said life...
Man Cheung
Brisbane-born, London-based photographer, Man Cheung, is fascinated by the everyday. So much so, that he takes a picture of something – anything – each day and uploads it to his very cool...
John Eccles
Living in a city that defines itself as a cultural capital means that access to the arts sometimes gets taken for granted. Over the past few years the National Gallery of Victoria has consistently...
