Mugshot

Now cascading across the gallery walls at Michael Reid Murrurundi is the latest series of charismatic soft sculptures spun by South Australian artist and crochet virtuoso Trevor Smith.

Our exhibition space has been dazzlingly recast as a theatrical stage for Smith’s colourful cast of characters, all woven with pure wool yarn, a dash of whimsy and an eye for the telling details that animate each figure and sketch out their persona.

From butchers, bakers, bellhops and beauty queens to farmers, flamenco dancers and yeomen of the guard, the show’s fabulous chorus of appealingly offbeat actors plays up Smith’s wonderfully eccentric style, infectious wit and singular mastery of the crochet medium.

With its title, Mugshots, reflecting the artist’s acute distillation of each character’s profile, this kaleidoscopic display feels like a sprawling social novel sprung to life through a playful taxonomy of archetypes – albeit with a few fantastical creatures in the mix.

This is the artist’s first exhibition since his major museum survey at The Riddoch Arts & Cultural Centre in 2023. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the gallery to enter the vibrant world of Trevor Smith’s Mugshots. All works are available to view and acquire online.