Claudio was recently featured on ABC Art Works (Series 3 Episode 6) speaking to his experience at HOTA’s Pop Masters Exhibition alongside Bradley Vincent and Tracey Cooper-Lavery.
In the episode, Claudio recalls his memories of first discovering the works of Warhol, Harring and Basquait, and notes how their works have informed his practice. Claudio further speaks to how excited and inspired he is to have these works on display at HOTA, right at his doorstep on the Gold Coast, and how important it is for these works to be available for local artists, and the wider community, to experience in real-life.
The Pop Masters Exhibition wrapped up at HOTA in June 2023, and was significant for the Gold Coast as HOTA’s inaugural international exhibition. The exhibition was exclusive to the Gold Coast and unseen on Australian soil before! The episode shares Claudio's enthusiasm, and it's easy to see why. The exhibition featured works by some of the most renowned artists of our time, including Warhol, Harring and Basquait. These artists have left an indelible mark on the art world, and their influence can be seen in Claudio's work.
Pop Masters: Art from the Mugrabi Collection, New York, brought together these legendary artists and those they influenced, providing a snapshot of Pop Art's evolution over six decades.
As part of the exhibition’s extended programming, HOTA invited a series of creatives to respond to the exhibition in a series titled “Pop Talks”. Featured talks by Sean Rafferty, Rhys-John Kaye and Claudio Kirac, who spoke to the “Commodity of Cool” in a witty and engaging 60-minute intimate Q&A.
In addition to the Pop Masters Exhibition, the latest episode of ABC Art Works also features Namila checking out Melbourne Now and meeting artist Rel Pham, sculptor Jason Lim, and Mia Salsjo, who translates architecture into music as she composes the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
If you missed a visit to HOTA during Pop Masters, you can catch up on iView and get a glimpse of the exhibition on ABC Art Works. It’s a jammed-packed episode that takes you from the Pop Masters Exhibition to Melbourne Now, to the work of Rel Pham, Jason Lim and Mia Salsjo.
