Luke King’s mixed media artwork Portrait (2023) was shown in the group exhibition Fever’Dreams at the Counihan Gallery in 2023. The group exhibition explored the slippery boundaries between abstract and figurative artwork, showcasing local artists with a strong connection to Merri-bek’s arts community. King uses portraiture to highlight the importance of gesture and facial expression in personal storytelling. Exhibition curator of Fever’Dreams, Mitchel Brannan, writes of King’s work: ‘King explores the profound capacity of the human face to convey emotions within the context of constraint. Through his art, King invites viewers to reflect on the complexities of human expression and the underlying dynamics of restraint within society.’

Time is an abstraction, a filing system used to arrange events and memories into a logical system of cause and effect. This new print was created with images arranged from drawings made while sitting by paths near nature, creeks and overlapping streets. I am a local artist and illustrator with a history of drawing, painting and printmaking.10Press brings together a diverse group of creatives who were invited to make a new artwork inspired by the theme of ‘Moreland: its creative future, its past or other hidden stories’. Artists were invited to respond to the prompt ‘Moreland’, using only one or two colours. This body of work was created in 2022 during a significant time in local history, which saw Council’s name change from ‘Moreland’ to ‘Merri-bek’. The printed bellyband of the folio highlights this transition, with the word ‘Moreland’ crossed out and replaced with Woiwurrung language name ‘Merri-bek’. Commoners Press is a Coburg-based print studio that works with artists and designers in Australia and abroad on short run projects. Established by Jan Brueggemeier, Rob Eales and Neal Haslem in 2017, Commoners Press focus on projects that are community-centred, experimental and sustainable. Donated by Commoners Press Letterpress print

When I visit Merri-bek I wonder, when I step on the tarmac of the Barkly Square carpark, what was here before? In fact, at this spot and across Brunswick there were clay pits, which would feed the pottery workshops in Brunswick that produced the pottery, gargoyles and decorative items for Marvellous Melbourne homes and suburbs. Marvellous for those who had profited from gold, property and finance, not so for those working in the clay pits. My print is a contemplation on what is beneath our feet and our relationship to the ground. I am a design academic working at RMIT University and began my print and design practice on a Golding foot-treadle Letterpress machine.10Press brings together a diverse group of creatives who were invited to make a new artwork inspired by the theme of ‘Moreland: its creative future, its past or other hidden stories’. Artists were invited to respond to the prompt ‘Moreland’, using only one or two colours. This body of work was created in 2022 during a significant time in local history, which saw Council’s name change from ‘Moreland’ to ‘Merri-bek’. The printed bellyband of the folio highlights this transition, with the word ‘Moreland’ crossed out and replaced with Woiwurrung language name ‘Merri-bek’. Commoners Press is a Coburg-based print studio that works with artists and designers in Australia and abroad on short run projects. Established by Jan Brueggemeier, Rob Eales and Neal Haslem in 2017, Commoners Press focus on projects that are community-centred, experimental and sustainable. Donated by Commoners Press Letterpress print

Merri-bek’s bi-annual collection and the communities’ tendency to dump rubbish makes these temporal sculptures part of the visual landscape of walking in Merri-bek. The collections of personal items, untold stories and connections which we all piece together whilst on an afternoon stroll. Over the years trends in pet ownership and technology advances can be documented in discarded items, also commenting on wealth and material value of objects. I have been living, parenting, working and volunteering in Merri-bek for the last 9 years. As time passes the community and landscape shift and change as does my connection to it. A once dedicated art practice is now tumbled around with life and family. Photography, video, drawing and painting are used to explore ideas around the everyday and meaning we attach to small moments of time.10Press brings together a diverse group of creatives who were invited to make a new artwork inspired by the theme of ‘Moreland: its creative future, its past or other hidden stories’. Artists were invited to respond to the prompt ‘Moreland’, using only one or two colours. This body of work was created in 2022 during a significant time in local history, which saw Council’s name change from ‘Moreland’ to ‘Merri-bek’. The printed bellyband of the folio highlights this transition, with the word ‘Moreland’ crossed out and replaced with Woiwurrung language name ‘Merri-bek’. Commoners Press is a Coburg-based print studio that works with artists and designers in Australia and abroad on short run projects. Established by Jan Brueggemeier, Rob Eales and Neal Haslem in 2017, Commoners Press focus on projects that are community-centred, experimental and sustainable. Donated by Commoners Press Letterpress print

With two young kids, I often find myself at Coburg Lake on a weekend, playing amongst the natural beauty of the park area, rugged embankments, local birdlife, and... ‘Bin Chicken Island’. Bin Chicken Island has become a running joke in the community, known for its wafting stench and as an environmental eyesore (never go to the park on a warm day with an easterly breeze). So much so that someone added a campground listing on the island to Google Maps. Whenever I drive past the lake, I always keep an eye out for disgruntled backpackers who have realised that the only camping to be had is by the Bin Chickens themselves. I am a local graphic designer who lives in Pascoe Vale and works in Brunswick. I head up the design studio, Atticus Design.10Press brings together a diverse group of creatives who were invited to make a new artwork inspired by the theme of ‘Moreland: its creative future, its past or other hidden stories’. Artists were invited to respond to the prompt ‘Moreland’, using only one or two colours. This body of work was created in 2022 during a significant time in local history, which saw Council’s name change from ‘Moreland’ to ‘Merri-bek’. The printed bellyband of the folio highlights this transition, with the word ‘Moreland’ crossed out and replaced with Woiwurrung language name ‘Merri-bek’. Commoners Press is a Coburg-based print studio that works with artists and designers in Australia and abroad on short run projects. Established by Jan Brueggemeier, Rob Eales and Neal Haslem in 2017, Commoners Press focus on projects that are community-centred, experimental and sustainable. Donated by Commoners Press Letterpress print

The image is based on a 3D component of one of my recent series of jewellery artworks. The heart metaphorically alludes to two locations of Merri-bek. One is Moreland Road, the other is Wallace Street in Brunswick. These locations pinpoint a time of collective trauma and communal experiential reflection. I was born in Brunswick in 1984 and have lived and worked there since. Brunswick for me is filled with stories of family, community, growth, tragedy and history experienced across a Greek Diasporic framework.10Press brings together a diverse group of creatives who were invited to make a new artwork inspired by the theme of ‘Moreland: its creative future, its past or other hidden stories’. Artists were invited to respond to the prompt ‘Moreland’, using only one or two colours. This body of work was created in 2022 during a significant time in local history, which saw Council’s name change from ‘Moreland’ to ‘Merri-bek’. The printed bellyband of the folio highlights this transition, with the word ‘Moreland’ crossed out and replaced with Woiwurrung language name ‘Merri-bek’. Commoners Press is a Coburg-based print studio that works with artists and designers in Australia and abroad on short run projects. Established by Jan Brueggemeier, Rob Eales and Neal Haslem in 2017, Commoners Press focus on projects that are community-centred, experimental and sustainable. Donated by Commoners Press Letterpress print

My work is dedicated to the animal residents that cohabit with us in the suburbs. I focused on the Red Wattlebird, as it is always a welcome visitor across the gardens and parks of Merri-bek. The frayed edges of the page from my notebook are reminiscent of the act of note taking and how we remember and observe things in our daily lives. I am a local artist and writer living in Naarm with a studio in Coburg as part of Schoolhouse Studios.10Press brings together a diverse group of creatives who were invited to make a new artwork inspired by the theme of ‘Moreland: its creative future, its past or other hidden stories’. Artists were invited to respond to the prompt ‘Moreland’, using only one or two colours. This body of work was created in 2022 during a significant time in local history, which saw Council’s name change from ‘Moreland’ to ‘Merri-bek’. The printed bellyband of the folio highlights this transition, with the word ‘Moreland’ crossed out and replaced with Woiwurrung language name ‘Merri-bek’. Commoners Press is a Coburg-based print studio that works with artists and designers in Australia and abroad on short run projects. Established by Jan Brueggemeier, Rob Eales and Neal Haslem in 2017, Commoners Press focus on projects that are community-centred, experimental and sustainable. Donated by Commoners Press Letterpress print

Ancestral Bouquet is a visual homage to the different plant species each migrant community brought with them to the lands of Merri-bek. It is a celebration of these plant communities and those (elderly migrants) who still know and practice traditional forms of food harvest and preparation. I was born and raised in unceded Wurundjeri Willum Country, in Coburg. My Father lived in the Southern Suburbs of Naarm as a refugee from Palestine, and eventually found Coburg as a place he could fit in as a migrant. My arts practice varies in modalities, and always comes back to the story of displaced cultures, my folklore, and my connection to Coburg and the Merri Creek.10Press brings together a diverse group of creatives who were invited to make a new artwork inspired by the theme of ‘Moreland: its creative future, its past or other hidden stories’. Artists were invited to respond to the prompt ‘Moreland’, using only one or two colours. This body of work was created in 2022 during a significant time in local history, which saw Council’s name change from ‘Moreland’ to ‘Merri-bek’. The printed bellyband of the folio highlights this transition, with the word ‘Moreland’ crossed out and replaced with Woiwurrung language name ‘Merri-bek’. Commoners Press is a Coburg-based print studio that works with artists and designers in Australia and abroad on short run projects. Established by Jan Brueggemeier, Rob Eales and Neal Haslem in 2017, Commoners Press focus on projects that are community-centred, experimental and sustainable. Donated by Commoners Press Letterpress print

This image of Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool represents my connection to Merri-bek / Moreland. Being brought up around water, swimming has played a key role in my family and I feel a sense of the community when swimming in a public pool. The gum trees and the proximity of this pool to the river reminds me of my home town, Albury. For me, a public pool is a gathering place, a place of leisure and play, somewhere to learn and grow, spend time and let go.10Press brings together a diverse group of creatives who were invited to make a new artwork inspired by the theme of ‘Moreland: its creative future, its past or other hidden stories’. Artists were invited to respond to the prompt ‘Moreland’, using only one or two colours. This body of work was created in 2022 during a significant time in local history, which saw Council’s name change from ‘Moreland’ to ‘Merri-bek’. The printed bellyband of the folio highlights this transition, with the word ‘Moreland’ crossed out and replaced with Woiwurrung language name ‘Merri-bek’. Commoners Press is a Coburg-based print studio that works with artists and designers in Australia and abroad on short run projects. Established by Jan Brueggemeier, Rob Eales and Neal Haslem in 2017, Commoners Press focus on projects that are community-centred, experimental and sustainable. Donated by Commoners Press Letterpress print

The 1980s saw a rise in campaigns for Antarctica to be designated a World Park. Black’s screenprints celebrate the creatures of the continent, however invocations such as ‘protect Antarctica from all mineral and oil exploration and exploitation’ remind the viewer that these creatures are in peril. Black printed 500 of these postcards (described as ‘Antarcticards’) at the Redletter Press in Brunswick and they were distributed around the world, reaching as far as Macquarie and Heard Islands. The campaigning was successful, with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke announcing that Australia would not support an agreement that would open the Australian Antarctic Territory up to mining and oil drilling.Donated by the artist8 prints in total

The 1980s saw a rise in campaigns for Antarctica to be designated a World Park. Black’s screenprints celebrate the creatures of the continent, however invocations such as ‘protect Antarctica from all mineral and oil exploration and exploitation’ remind the viewer that these creatures are in peril. Black printed 500 of these postcards (described as ‘Antarcticards’) at the Redletter Press in Brunswick and they were distributed around the world, reaching as far as Macquarie and Heard Islands. The campaigning was successful, with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke announcing that Australia would not support an agreement that would open the Australian Antarctic Territory up to mining and oil drilling.Donated by the artist8 prints in total

The 1980s saw a rise in campaigns for Antarctica to be designated a World Park. Black’s screenprints celebrate the creatures of the continent, however invocations such as ‘protect Antarctica from all mineral and oil exploration and exploitation’ remind the viewer that these creatures are in peril. Black printed 500 of these postcards (described as ‘Antarcticards’) at the Redletter Press in Brunswick and they were distributed around the world, reaching as far as Macquarie and Heard Islands. The campaigning was successful, with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke announcing that Australia would not support an agreement that would open the Australian Antarctic Territory up to mining and oil drilling.Donated by the artist8 prints in total

The 1980s saw a rise in campaigns for Antarctica to be designated a World Park. Black’s screenprints celebrate the creatures of the continent, however invocations such as ‘protect Antarctica from all mineral and oil exploration and exploitation’ remind the viewer that these creatures are in peril. Black printed 500 of these postcards (described as ‘Antarcticards’) at the Redletter Press in Brunswick and they were distributed around the world, reaching as far as Macquarie and Heard Islands. The campaigning was successful, with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke announcing that Australia would not support an agreement that would open the Australian Antarctic Territory up to mining and oil drilling.Donated by the artist8 prints in total

The 1980s saw a rise in campaigns for Antarctica to be designated a World Park. Black’s screenprints celebrate the creatures of the continent, however invocations such as ‘protect Antarctica from all mineral and oil exploration and exploitation’ remind the viewer that these creatures are in peril. Black printed 500 of these postcards (described as ‘Antarcticards’) at the Redletter Press in Brunswick and they were distributed around the world, reaching as far as Macquarie and Heard Islands. The campaigning was successful, with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke announcing that Australia would not support an agreement that would open the Australian Antarctic Territory up to mining and oil drilling.Donated by the artist8 prints in total

The 1980s saw a rise in campaigns for Antarctica to be designated a World Park. Black’s screenprints celebrate the creatures of the continent, however invocations such as ‘protect Antarctica from all mineral and oil exploration and exploitation’ remind the viewer that these creatures are in peril. Black printed 500 of these postcards (described as ‘Antarcticards’) at the Redletter Press in Brunswick and they were distributed around the world, reaching as far as Macquarie and Heard Islands. The campaigning was successful, with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke announcing that Australia would not support an agreement that would open the Australian Antarctic Territory up to mining and oil drilling.Donated by the artist8 prints in total

The 1980s saw a rise in campaigns for Antarctica to be designated a World Park. Black’s screenprints celebrate the creatures of the continent, however invocations such as ‘protect Antarctica from all mineral and oil exploration and exploitation’ remind the viewer that these creatures are in peril. Black printed 500 of these postcards (described as ‘Antarcticards’) at the Redletter Press in Brunswick and they were distributed around the world, reaching as far as Macquarie and Heard Islands. The campaigning was successful, with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke announcing that Australia would not support an agreement that would open the Australian Antarctic Territory up to mining and oil drilling.Donated by the artist8 prints in total

The 1980s saw a rise in campaigns for Antarctica to be designated a World Park. Black’s screenprints celebrate the creatures of the continent, however invocations such as ‘protect Antarctica from all mineral and oil exploration and exploitation’ remind the viewer that these creatures are in peril. Black printed 500 of these postcards (described as ‘Antarcticards’) at the Redletter Press in Brunswick and they were distributed around the world, reaching as far as Macquarie and Heard Islands. The campaigning was successful, with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke announcing that Australia would not support an agreement that would open the Australian Antarctic Territory up to mining and oil drilling.Donated by the artist8 prints in total

merri-bek public art collection

These captivating pieces are part of a series called "FOOD / FLESH / FAME," a collaborative effort between Melbourne-based Thai artists Bundit Puangthong and Vipoo Srivilasa. Drawing from Buddhist teachings, the series explores the three elements of attachment: Food (consumption), Flesh (sex), and Fame (power). Although these elements are known to cause suffering, they remain persistently alluring, a paradox that the artists intend to explore further in the future. In creating these pieces, Vipoo Srivilasa initiated the process by sculpting three figures with bare surfaces. Bundit Puangthong then added his artistic touch by painting each sculpture. The artists' conceptual visions harmonized perfectly, especially considering their shared commitment to Buddhist principles, which frequently inspire their respective artistic practices. After Bundit completed his painting, Vipoo enlivened the pieces by adding eyes to the figures. He also embellished the works with pom-poms, lending them a softness that makes them appear both approachable and innocent, despite the weightiness of their themes. Each sculpture embodies a specific teaching from Buddhism: "FOOD" depicts a durian, the king of fruits, painted by Bundit Puangthong. He notes, "Despite its pungent aroma, many people still love to eat it."Donated the by the artists

In creating these pieces, Vipoo Srivilasa initiated the process by sculpting three figures with bare surfaces. Bundit Puangthong then added his artistic touch by painting each sculpture. The artists' conceptual visions harmonized perfectly, especially considering their shared commitment to Buddhist principles, which frequently inspire their respective artistic practices. After Bundit completed his painting, Vipoo enlivened the pieces by adding eyes to the figures. He also embellished the works with pom-poms, lending them a softness that makes them appear both approachable and innocent, despite the weightiness of their themes. Each sculpture embodies a specific teaching from Buddhism: "FLESH" features a golden umbrella, serving as a metaphor for sex.