Small objects made by Ghostpatrol for 'Made to Last' - A NETS Victoria exhibition in partnership with the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne and supported by Latrobe Regional Gallery.  Photo - Andrew Curtis.

Small objects made by Ghostpatrol for 'Made to Last' - A NETS Victoria exhibition in partnership with the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne and supported by Latrobe Regional Gallery.  Photo - Andrew Curtis.

We interviewed Melbourne artist Ghostpatrol many many moons ago (the interview is so old now, it is quite embarassing linking to it!), and I'm always interested to see what he is up to.  He is nothing if not prolific - constantly making, exhibiting and collaborating with other creatives.  Ghostpatrol's street art murals are also some of the most distinctive examples of large scale street art in Melbourne... they're hiding all over town if you know where to look!

Ghostpatrol's latest project is a group show called Made to Last - A NETS Victoria exhibition in partnership with the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne, and supported by Latrobe Regional Gallery.  The exhibition is curated by Sherryn Vardy, and explores different materials and methods of art conservation, and the behaviour of art materials over time.  Ghostpatrol responded to the theme with a series of small objects incorporating found items and  living plants, which grow and change during the course of the exhibition.  I couldn't help but fall in love with these friendly little anthropomorphised characters - they have such personality!  You could totally imagine them jumping up and running around the gallery when the lights are out at night!

Cute-factor aside, we did ask Ghostpatrol some serious questions about his participation in this show (!!), here is what he had to say -

'The discussion with curator Sherryn Vardy allowed me to reconsider the type of work I make for galleries. It was a great excuse to work with different materials, and create some work that would change over time in the gallery. I've since made some larger bodies of work that combine small carvings, found objects and plants to form small 'shrine' installations. I like the contrast from spending time and effort to create watercolours and paintings that are archival, to making work that changes and shifts with the arrangement and the plants. It's great to have a curator plant an idea that triggers me to head off in a new direction.'

Made to Last also features an incredible line up of local contemporary artists including Brook Andrew, Penny Byrne, Juan Ford, and Claire Anna Watson. The show is currently at the Art Gallery of Ballarat until January 20th, and is touring regional Victoria until Feb next year!  Look out for it in the following locations -

Made to Last - The Conservation of Art

Art Gallery of Ballarat, 8 December – 20 January 2013
Manningham Art Gallery, 27 February – Thursday 28 March 2013
Wangaratta Art Gallery, 27 April – 26 May 2013
McClelland Gallery + Sculpture Park, 20 October 2013 – 2 February 2014

Small objects made by Ghostpatrol for 'Made to Last' - A NETS Victoria exhibition in partnership with the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne and supported by Latrobe Regional Gallery.  Photo - Andrew Curtis.