Artist Bio - MEGGS
Growing up in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, Meggs’ early artistic development was influenced by the cartoons, comics & sci-Fi films of the 1980’s. Fuelling his vivid imagination and creating a passion for superheroes, fantasy characters and bold colourful graphics, such as those found on toy packaging and video covers. This soon developed into a passion for skateboarding culture and interest in graffiti art and graphic design.
Several years after completing a Bachelor of Design, Meggs becoming frustrated with client based design work and began exploring his personal artwork on the streets, particularly in the form of stencilling during 2003. Meggs quickly developed a recogniseable style of complex stencil images and paste-ups, as well as exploring character based work with underlying themes of inner demons and duality. Early works such as the ‘devil kids’ and ’spew blobs’ become familiar aspects of the back alleys and laneways of Melbourne’s CBD and surrounding suburbs.
In 2004, Meggs joined forces with artists Sync, Rone, Phibs, Reka, Wondalust & Meek and became a core member of the ‘Everfresh Studio’, a unique collective of street/graffiti/gallery artists who are recognised as one of Australia’s most progressive and prolific street art collectives. Sharing skills, knowledge and passion Everfresh are renowned and respected for their collaborative styles in group murals and exhibitions, as well as accomplished solo artists with their own unique strengths and styles.
Meggs’ work continually references the nostalgia of childhood heroes and villains, exploring the notion of ‘duality’ and an on-going question of morals, rights and authorities. Reflecting on personal experience Meggs produces energetic depictions of heroes, villains, and subverted collages of pop culture symbology.
Spreading his street work as far as Paris, London and Tokyo, Meggs has also contributed to numerous group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. His work has more notably been sold through ‘Artcurial Auctioneers’ (Paris) and is included in the ‘National Gallery of Australia’s’ (Canberra) permanent ‘works on paper’ collection. Continually evolving his painting style with a continued passion for graffiti and character painting, pop-art and abstract expressionism has led to Meggs being well recognised as one of Australia’s pioneering street to gallery artists.
In 2007 Australia’s Victorian State Government passed the ‘Graffiti Prevention Act’. This legislation extended the government’s zero tolerance approach to Graffiti and provided police new authority to search any person, vehicle or object they suspect to possess a Graffiti implement, within close proximity of public transport.
Ironically, this legislation was passed while Tourism Victoria was using Graffiti and street art to promote Melbourne Tourism on television and web advertisements. Melbourne’s laneway’s are a big drawcard for tourism and it is undeniable that the diverse artwork is part of the city’s broader cultural appeal.
Graffiti and street art will never disappear. Despite the State Government’s negativity, there are well documented social contributions and benefits provided by many artists, cultural tourism being one. Unfortunately these are only recognised when it is conveniently leveraged for commercial gain.
‘Crime & Charity’ depicts the frustration Megg’s feels in the
face of this hypocrisy. The characters depicted in his artwork are hybrids of guilt and innocence, both frustrated and persecuted for being part of a culture that is simultaneously celebrated and condemned.
Growing up in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, Meggs’ early artistic development was influenced by the cartoons, comics & sci-Fi films of the 1980’s. Fuelling his vivid imagination and creating a passion for superheroes, fantasy characters and bold colourful graphics, such as those found on toy packaging and video covers. This soon developed into a passion for skateboarding culture and interest in graffiti art and graphic design.
Several years after completing a Bachelor of Design, Meggs becoming frustrated with client based design work and began exploring his personal artwork on the streets, particularly in the form of stencilling during 2003. Meggs quickly developed a recogniseable style of complex stencil images and paste-ups, as well as exploring character based work with underlying themes of inner demons and duality. Early works such as the ‘devil kids’ and ’spew blobs’ become familiar aspects of the back alleys and laneways of Melbourne’s CBD and surrounding suburbs.
In 2004, Meggs joined forces with artists Sync, Rone, Phibs, Reka, Wondalust & Meek and became a core member of the ‘Everfresh Studio’, a unique collective of street/graffiti/gallery artists who are recognised as one of Australia’s most progressive and prolific street art collectives. Sharing skills, knowledge and passion Everfresh are renowned and respected for their collaborative styles in group murals and exhibitions, as well as accomplished solo artists with their own unique strengths and styles.
Meggs’ work continually references the nostalgia of childhood heroes and villains, exploring the notion of ‘duality’ and an on-going question of morals, rights and authorities. Reflecting on personal experience Meggs produces energetic depictions of heroes, villains, and subverted collages of pop culture symbology.
Spreading his street work as far as Paris, London and Tokyo, Meggs has also contributed to numerous group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. His work has more notably been sold through ‘Artcurial Auctioneers’ (Paris) and is included in the ‘National Gallery of Australia’s’ (Canberra) permanent ‘works on paper’ collection. Continually evolving his painting style with a continued passion for graffiti and character painting, pop-art and abstract expressionism has led to Meggs being well recognised as one of Australia’s pioneering street to gallery artists.
In 2007 Australia’s Victorian State Government passed the ‘Graffiti Prevention Act’. This legislation extended the government’s zero tolerance approach to Graffiti and provided police new authority to search any person, vehicle or object they suspect to possess a Graffiti implement, within close proximity of public transport.
Ironically, this legislation was passed while Tourism Victoria was using Graffiti and street art to promote Melbourne Tourism on television and web advertisements. Melbourne’s laneway’s are a big drawcard for tourism and it is undeniable that the diverse artwork is part of the city’s broader cultural appeal.
Graffiti and street art will never disappear. Despite the State Government’s negativity, there are well documented social contributions and benefits provided by many artists, cultural tourism being one. Unfortunately these are only recognised when it is conveniently leveraged for commercial gain.
‘Crime & Charity’ depicts the frustration Megg’s feels in the
face of this hypocrisy. The characters depicted in his artwork are hybrids of guilt and innocence, both frustrated and persecuted for being part of a culture that is simultaneously celebrated and condemned.
Posts
