Jack Irvine is an Australian artist whose work is an unlikely expression and response to growing up amidst the working social class of Sydney’s southern suburbs. He’s currently on an art tour of Australia, with dates in Sydney all this week.
We asked Jack to talk us through some of his best work, including a band logo that was apparently ripped off by a US rapper…
Beer Vortex
2017. Acrylic and resin on metal, 800×800.
“I’M STUCK! I’M STUCK IN A BEER VORTEX OH NOOOO!!”
“Sometimes you can go out for a few beers with some mates at the pub, then three hours later you’re five beers down and talking about where the next place will be poppin off to go out, then all of a sudden you’re waking up in the morning with a aching head wondering how that all happened and feeling shit about yourself, and in the arvo you’ve gotta do the same thing just to get rid of the atrocious hangover you have and you’re back in the vortex all over again.”
Vegas Sucks
2017. Acrylic and resin on metal, 800×800.
“I WENT TO VEGAS, IT SUCKED”
“A few years ago on a trip to America me and a few mates thought it might be cool to go visit Vegas for a few days thinking it was going to be the time of our lives like the movies, how crazy shit seems to happen. We quickly realised that Vegas sucks unless you’re rich or really love gambling and strippers.”
Party Cat
2017. Acrylic and resin on metal, 800×800.
“PARTY CAT IS ALWAYS HAVING FUN”
“This is a really fun, uplifting, positive painting of a cat that likes to have fun. I wanted to use bright colours to create some energy and get your brain feeling good. Also I’ve used the snakes that can be sometimes seen as deadly but in this painting they are happy and are getting along with the cat and having fun also. Could also be symbolic of how other people can look scary or angry but if you are nice to them they will be nice back in most situations. This is a painting to get you out of the house if you’re feeling scared of the outside world.”
Skegss art
“The work I do for Skegss is mainly fun, tough graphics inspired by punk art in the ’80s and ’90s. The prints are big and obnoxious you can see them from a mile away, and I think that is in alignment with their attitude and music. They have been making their own path through Australian music and I feel that is something really rare. So I’m stoked to be able to create work for them and it goes well with my art style, I am basically just making things I like.”
The Flame Logo
“This thing was just a sketchy drawing I made in one of my art books, and then I had to turn it into a screen printable design, because in the earlier days of Skegss I was their screen printer. Definitely not a great one though, but I got the job done.”
https://www.facebook.com/thebragsydney/photos/a.222153804464440.68197.145692175443937/1493604060652735
Red, yellow, black
“Red, yellow and black is the strongest colour combo. I’ve almost used this in every Skegss artwork.”
Check out Jack Irvine’s tour dates here, and follow him on Instagram for more.
