‘My Pop Life’ is a recreation and reimagining of Brady Michaels’ teenage bedroom from the 1980s.
The exhibition encompasses posters and installations that recount the experience of being a queer teen in 1980s Tasmania, where homosexuality was illegal and the HIV/AIDS epidemic was fuelling widespread homophobia.
Employing a ‘remix’ methodology to revisit the past, the project consists of digitally produced, collage-based works referencing the pop and political culture of the era. Complemented by personal artifacts, the exhibition blurs the lines between private and public, fiction and autobiography.
‘My Pop Life’ explores the impact of historical events on the emergence of queerness and identity, emphasising the role of popular culture as both an escape and a source of validation.
‘My Pop Life’ serves as a safe space for exploration, providing an avenue to delve into challenging topics while celebrating the vibrant queer culture of the 1980s.
Accessibility information
This exhibition features content that may be difficult for some audiences, such as references to homophobia and the 1980s HIV/AIDs epidemic.
This exhibition includes low level lighting. Please take care as you navigate the space.
For information about the accessibility of the Counihan Gallery venue, visit our Access and Inclusion page.
Contact
Counihan Gallery
Phone: 03 9389 8622
Email: CounihanGallery@merri-bek.vic.gov.au
Further information
For exhibition updates you can follow the Counihan Gallery Instagram page. You can alsogo to the Counihan Gallery Facebook page.
This exhibition is in the Rear Gallery.
Image credit: Brady Michaels. My Pop Life (installation view), 2022. Plimsoll Gallery, University of Tasmania
