Since its inception, Last Chance Studio has developed a certain notoriety across the nation. It’s known as the home of Perth’s baddest boy band of street artists and rebel rousers, image makers on the edge of cool. Perhaps the unlikeliest addition to this ensemble is Sean Morris.
Morris is, first and foremost, an illustrator. But thanks to his residency at Last Chance his work has been taking on new forms and guises. He doesn’t see himself as a street artist, but he’s definitely producing street art.
His distinct engorged characters are now emerging across Northbridge, usually in collaboration with other Last Chance bad boys. One of the more noticeable is behind The Bird on William Street, a bearded bloated trucker cap-wearing dude alongside one of Timothy Rollin’s creations.
What Morris comments on is the absurd gluttony of popular culture. Sure his characters started off as humble comments on family and nature, but more and more they have become either about hair or morphed into bloated caricatures of coolness, a swollen examination of redneck egos, cult mentalities and grandiose self-importance. Typically with body hair. Overall his vision is gutsy… quite literally.
How would you describe your style? Nice drawings of gross stuff.
As an illustrator, how have you fallen into the street art scene? I’m definitely not a street artist. Since Last Chance Studio began, a few wall painting opportunities have come up, but i approach those just like any other art-related job.
What styles and techniques have you adapted from street art into your own practice? The only cross over has been when I’ve done canvases or smaller wall pieces with spray paint, but in the same style I use for illustrative work… it hasn’t really gone the other way yet. Spray paint is just another paint medium, like using watercolour or acrylic – it makes me think about colour differently, which is great.
How has a place like Last Chance nurtured your skills? I had no idea how to handle a spray can when i moved in there. At this point I’m slightly better than terrible with one, so there’s been a fair improvement.
Would you have normally have contemplated doing street art before joining Last Chance? I’ve done odd bits of street stuff before but never aerosol. Now I have a few pieces up on walls, but street art is about a lot more than that… it takes a lot of commitment and attitude to make your presence felt at street level. I’m too lazy to be a street fiend.
Sean Morris will be exhibiting at the Northbridge Popsicle! Launch from September 9 – 15, Affordable Art Fair New York from September 29 – October 3, Oh Really Gallery, Sydney from September 30 – October 10, No Vacancy Project Space, Melbourne from October 7 – 21 and will feature in a solo online showcase at FreshlyBakedGallery.com during October. For more check out www.illsean.com.
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
