About this Event
Rats & Barbells : Soft sculpture vermin & workout gear
Presented by Terry Williams, Chris O'Brien, Joanna Anderson, and Arts Project Australia
Date: Saturday 21st February 2026, 11:00am - 1:00pm
Venue: Arts Project Australia Studio, Booth K10, Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2A Clarendon Street, South Wharf 3006
Price: To attend this workshop, please purchase a ticket to Melbourne Art Fair here.
Materials provided
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
Join Arts Project Australia soft sculpture specialists Terry Williams and Chris O’Brien to stitch and stuff a fluffy rodent or a silky light weight barbell.
The workshop draws from the current exhibition at the APA gallery, Houses, Spouses, Crises & Chrises, including works such as O'Brien's rats and Williams’ barbells.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Chris O'Brien is a Naarm/Melbourne based artist who has worked with Arts Project Australia since 2002. His diverse artistic practice spans painting, printmaking, sculpture, moving image, and zines. His work often focuses on domestic dwellings, introducing characters to bring them to life. Renowned for his soft sculptures, O'Brien crafts vibrant sewn and stuffed fabric representations of houses and iconic buildings. Through this practice, he reimagines these spaces, transforming them from functional structures into playful, imaginative sculptures imbued with deeper meaning.
Chris O’Brien has worked with Arts Project Australia since 2002. His work is held in public collections, including the National Gallery of Victoria, the State Library of Victoria and private collections worldwide.
Terry Williams is an established artist with a practice spanning over three decades. Primarily focusing on soft sculpture, his work is known for its use of tactile, pillow-like forms, constructed with bold, exaggerated stitching. Williams often draws on themes of space, flight, and everyday objects, depicting helmets, astronauts, rockets, wheels and bikes. His sculptures blend real and imagined elements, resulting in works that have a distinctive physical presence. The emphasis on materiality is central to his practice—fabrics are stitched, stuffed and layered to create forms that are both expressive and raw, highlighting the artist's direct and hands-on engagement with each piece.
Williams has worked with Arts Project Australia since 1989. His work is held in significant collections both in Australia and internationally, including the Museum of Everything, London; the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; the Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria and numerous private collections.
ACCESSIBILITY
The Fair is located on the ground floor of MCEC at Door 1, with ramp access at the building’s entrance and elevator access from the parking lot. MCEC offer limited wheelchairs for day loans, with wider wheelchairs available if needed.
To arrange wheelchair hire, contact MCEC Customer Service team at +61 3 9235 8000 or email [email protected]
Accessible toilets, ramps and lifts are available throughout the venue. Companion cards are accepted.
A quiet space is available inside the venue, please see a Melbourne Art Fair staff member for directions.
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is on the bank of the Yarra River in South Wharf. It is a short walk from Melbourne’s central business district and a 20-minute drive from Melbourne Airport.
Enter via Exhibition Door 1. The nearest MCEC entrance is on Clarendon Street.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), 2a Clarendon Street, South Wharf, Australia
AUD 0.00
