AV Club showcases the immense creative talent coming out of Brisbane, Australia

On Friday night, 8th of October 2021, BackDock Arts gallery in Fortitude Valley was buzzing with creatives from all around Brisbane. The space was host to the AV Club’s first public event – a showcase featuring over 20 different artist’s work in the form of photo instalments, visual displays, live music and screening premieres. With the headline “Artists supporting artists”, the event was driven by the AV Club’s purpose, which is to give local creatives a place to develop their work and grow their careers in a supportive environment with like-minded people. The night not only showed how fast Brisbane’s creative scene was able to pick itself off the ground after being knocked down by COVID-19, but also the raw talent that is pushing through from Brisbane’s underground scene.

The AV Club is a non-for-profit visual studio that formed March 2020 in a warehouse space at Brisbane’s industrial area of Albion. Now home to 15 artists and a diverse range of businesses such as NO1NETWORK, Rebel Rebel Talent and Pusher Films, the artists are the backbone for many creative projects in Brisbane and the surrounding areas, and were all present on the night.

Instalments were on display by artists, James Barnard, Joey Bailey, Mika Campbell, Kurt Schwerdt, Scout Cook-Long, Linus Marsh, Josh Hickie and Kate Sparrow inside the venue including portraits, multimedia prints, music photography, fashion photography and artworks. Inspiration for the instalments ranged from life in lockdown and using household items in fashion, to relationships which inspired a “Dump him” piece. Tirade’s own MACAMI and MINORI UEDA also had their fashion and music photography displayed on the night, showing the stunning work that both photographers produce. A highlight from the instalments was work from the models of Rebel Rebel Talent, a size and height inclusive modelling agency whose Brisbane studio is based at the AV Club. Caytlan Kolndrekal, the agency’s director and Gabby Lennon, Rebel Rebel’s model scout, showed black and white fashion films and beautiful images of the various models works. The instalments showed that there are modelling agencies in Brisbane that are pushing back at traditional ideas of beauty within the fashion industry and are choosing inclusivity and diversity.

Reels played throughout the night from the AV Club’s multimedia artists, each showing amazing and dynamic visuals. The artwork ranged from creative short films and video edits, to fashion films and official music videos. The videos featured work from Ben Gerbanas, Alex Cummings, Joey Bailey, Jerry Owino, Darcy O’Connor, Scout Cook-Long, Zai Ali, Gabby Lennon, Caytlan Kolndrekal, Josh Hickie, Kyel Golly, Hugo Nobay and Linus Marsh.

The main event of the night was the screening premiere which featured 13 different films in the forms of music videos, BTS and short films. It was clear from the reaction of the audience that they were astonished at the talent, as each film was a standout from the AV Club residents. The screenings began with a music video for Brisbane rapper Nerve made by director Kyel Golly, filmmaker Hugo Nobay and the AV team. Filmmakers Alex Cummings, Ben Gerbanas, Darcy O’Connor and producer Kate Sparrow showed a trailer for an upcoming documentary about notorious Brisbane actor Graham K. Furness. Freelance photographer and filmmaker Joey Bailey showed a sneak peak of a black and white short film about Australian surfer Jay Philips. Social documentary photographer and mixed media artist Linus Marsh showed a short film that was commissioned by a local fashion brand and drew heavily on both classic cowboy flicks and Tarantino style cinematography. Artist Scout Cook-Long showcased a creative short film of herself that she shot in the AV Club studio and focused on sex positivity and infectious feminine energy. The screenings ended with a collaboration by Kyel Golly, Alex Cummings and many other members of the AV team on the latest music video from Nerve ft. JK-47, “One in a Million”.

The event rolled well into the night with DJ sets from Linus, Cherry Tone, Fukhed, Nerve and Cliffo. The showcase was an incredible night, considering it was the AV Club’s first public event. It was clear from the beginning to the end of the event that the AV Club not only wanted to show the talent coming out of Brisbane, but also the importance of the creative industries, for both its commercial and cultural value. The night highlighted how important spaces and communities like the AV Club continue to remain for the positive growth of the arts.