Year: 2024

Description: Australian National III is a striking Warholian tribute to national identity, drawing direct inspiration from Andy Warhol’s iconic Coca-Cola Bottles series. In this contemporary reimagining, the universally recognized Vegemite jar replaces Coca-Cola bottles, repositioning a distinctly Australian icon as a symbol of cultural identity and everyday life. Just as Coca-Cola stands for Americana, Vegemite stands as a household staple and emblem of Australiennes. This work features a rhythmic grid of silkscreen-printed jars in various green tonalities, some smudged or faded, echoing the repetition and variance seen in Warhol’s practice. The use of silkscreen - a technique popularized by Warhol - reinforces the connection to Pop Art while also reflecting on mass production and collective unconscious. A bold red Vegemite logo punctuates the bottom of the composition, elevating the work with the unmistakable visual language of branding.