When I spoke to Maximillian Malone he had just returned from completing a mural at Rainbow Serpent Festival – the perfect setting for his vibrant, psychedelic artworks. You see, Max is fanatical about collage. ‘Using cutouts from old books and magazines, I create new worlds,’ he explains.
Following younger years filled with upcycling and make-believe, 18-year-old Max undertook a formative art foundation course that inspired him to pursue a creative career. A UK-native, he went on to study Graphic Design in Bristol, graduating in 2015.
Last year, Max moved to Melbourne with his Australian partner. Continuing to freelance as a designer/collage artist with UK clients, predominantly within the music industry, Max is keen to explore new opportunities in Melbourne and recently connected with TDF fave Magda Ksiezak.
He currently creates out of a converted mechanics garage in Brunswick East. Spacious and filled with natural light, it has oodles of room for Max to lay out his compositions. The artist’s go-to tools are a trusty quartet of acid-free glue stick, masking tape, blue tac and a prized pair of scissors. His secret weapon, though, is a very handy A4 scanner that he can carry with him wherever he goes (including on a four-month trip around India!). ‘Having a transportable image-capturing tool has enabled me to amass an amazing archive of imagery for future projects,’ Max praises.
Op shops and vintage markets are Max’s treasure trove, and he’ll often make trips out of town to explore stores and rummage for paper ephemera and inspiration for his work. Alongside this, he’s a huge advocate for the merits of physical exercise to help spark ideas! ‘I’m currently getting back into Futsal and longboarding,’ Max tells, before trailing off on a story about how he and his brother spent several summers travelling only by longboard across Europe – their record was skating 80-kilometres in one day through Sweden! ‘Lastly, I find that if I just make time to do nothing at all and just sit, that I find amazing new discoveries hidden in my sub-conscious,’ he adds.
This June, the artist will return to Bristol, England to work on another interior design project for loved music venue The Gallimaufry. The ambitious mosaic/collages he has completed at the same location are mind-blowing!
In the lead-up to that trip and upon his return, Max is looking to make new connections locally through meet-ups, shows, and events. ‘I’m only beginning my life here in Melbourne and plan to get as involved and active within the arts as I can,’ he tells. ‘If you’re ever curious about my practice, I’d love to hear from you.’
Follow Maximillian Malone’s art and adventures on his website or Instagram @maximillian.malone.
