Elsewhere, the once-ordinary Ford Cortina, a staple of working-class Britain, is reimagined in a minimalist line drawing, transforming the common into the iconic. Similarly, an elegant illustration of Camden’s historic bank building anchors the exhibition in local heritage, part of a series celebrating the architectural landmarks that have shaped the area.
Artwork title: Hard Yakka
Hard Yakka stands as a visual provocation—an audacious portrait that fuses the codes of imperial formality with the irreverent flair of contemporary Australiana. A figure dressed in the ornate regalia of a 19th-century European officer sits in a gilded throne, poised and stately—yet crowned not with a traditional bicorn hat, but a glossy pink motorcycle helmet. This unexpected twist reclaims the narrative of authority, subverting historic power structures with a distinctly modern, almost rebellious sensibility.
These artworks are more than decorative—they are conversations. They ask us to reconsider what we value, how everyday objects gain cultural significance over time, and how history is constantly reframed through a modern lens. At Argyle House, we embrace this dialogue, inviting diners to experience a space where tradition meets transformation, and the past is never static.
Artwork title: Need a helmet?
Set against the formal traditions of colonial-era still life, Need a Helmet? uses humour and sharp visual contrast to unpack the legacy of English colonialism. The lavish floral arrangement—symbolic of empire, conquest, and imported ideals of ‘civilisation’—is rudely interrupted by a bold, bright pink motorbike helmet, an unmistakable marker of contemporary Australian irreverence.
Artwork title: Don't be a Drongo, Mate
In Don't Be a Drongo, Mate, the classical traditions of European still life painting collide head-on with the irreverence of contemporary Australian culture. Set against a meticulously painted backdrop of lush, romantic florals—a visual language long associated with refinement, elegance, and the fleeting nature of life—sits an unmistakably modern and playful intruder: a bright pink plastic water pistol
Artwork title: Rubber duck going to church
This work playfully reimagines the romanticised landscapes of Patricia Herd—specifically her painting St John's Camden—through a lens of irreverent surrealism. In the background, the unmistakable silhouette of St John's Anglican Church anchors the scene, echoing Herd’s devotion to capturing Australia’s architectural and spiritual heritage. However, in this iteration, the sacred meets the absurd: a giant rubber duck floats serenely in the river, disrupting the otherwise idyllic 19th-century pastoral setting.
Join us where modern luxury meets historic charm, and where every visit tells a story.
A Dialogue in Art and Identity
- New Eyes on Old Worlds -
At Argyle House, our curated art collection explores the evolving relationship between history and contemporary culture. This exhibition is a bold interplay of British autocracy and Australian identity, blending the grandeur of the past with the irreverence of the present.
