Found Objects: Jaw Harp 2022

Summary

This painting of a jaw harp is one of four artworks by Troy Argyros which is a part of the Metro Tunnel Creative Project Donation received by the Art and Heritage Collection in 2023. The work was featured as a part of the exhibition 'Making the Metro Tunnel: Reflections by Contemporary Australian Artists' which took place at Domain House from 1 April - 7 May 2023.

Argyros painted several important objects found during the archaeological digs completed in the Melbourne CBD as part of the Metro Tunnel Project. These objects are now under the guardianship of Heritage Victoria.

Commissioned by the Metro Tunnel Creative Program, the exhibition sought to "explore and celebrate the construction milestones of the Metro Tunnel Project, which has been under construction for several years. The artists in this exhibition have taken inspiration from archaeological digs, heavy machinery, the aesthetics of worksites and worker's equipment to produce their own portrayals of the project." - quote from 'Making the Metro Tunnel' exhibition catalogue, 2023

"Four objects found in the Metro Tunnel excavation were of particular interest to me as an oil painter: a yellow bird shaped whistle, a fragment of a teapot handle featuring a winged creature, a jaw harp, and a 19th century light bulb. Unable to take the historically significant artefacts off laboratory premises to paint from life, I orchestrated a dark platform with a lamp at close range to carefully photograph the objects, focusing on capturing their particular form as richly as possible. While completing my education in Florence, Italy, I painted the four images using this reference material and memory of the touch sensation of each object to inform the painterly choices" - Troy Argyros, quote from 'Making the Metro Tunnel' exhibition catalogue, 2023