Jay Rankine / Merda

Images above:

“Absolut Release”
Billboard
Sydney 2005

“HEXED”
MEJIA Gallery
Melbourne 2019

How did your creative journey begin?

I think it may have started drawing at the dining room table in Preston, an outer suburb of Melbourne. Since I can remember I’ve always had the strong artistic urge to create and a firm direction to be an artist. Only until recently have I started linking my family history with what I do, questioning where that artistic way of thinking comes from. I grew up going to advertising agencies where my father worked as an art director. My grandmother studied art early on and picked it up later in her life after she had a family. The family tree is a mix of creative thinkers in all different areas including fashion, advertising, engineering, journalism, physics, mining and banking of all things.

How would you describe your practice?

I’m a self-taught visual artist with a background in graffiti / street art and was painting walls and trains illegally in Melbourne during the mid to late 80’s. Eventually this led to freelancing as a designer / illustrator, I made the transition from analogue to digital going onto computer graphics around 1994. I was offered a job at a design agency where I learnt the fundamentals about design software and printing. In 1997 I started my own design business which lasted for over a decade. During all of this I continued to exhibit my work in exhibitions. I have never been able to fit into the standard fine-art gallery formula and I don’t limit myself to only one set system. My creative practice is about creating and exploring my ideas, trying different things and learning new skills and techniques along the way.

What are you working on right now?

This year I’ve been working on some small sculptures, during COVID I invested in a 3D printer which I learnt how to use and I’m now producing 3D printed objects. Thanks to the City of Ballarat’s Creative Inspiration Grant and Regional Arts Victoria I received some funding so I can learn the process of slip-casting to create a series of ceramic art pieces. I’m also dabbling with Open AI’s “Dalle 2” which is a “text to image” image generator, I was lucky enough to get access to the beta a while ago. Finally, I’m painting a one off skateboard for a charity show in Melbourne next month for the MOSS foundation.

What is your connection to Ballarat?

Being originally from Melbourne I remember first visiting Ballarat as a child in the mid 70’s to visit Kryal Castle and Sovereign Hill. In 1997 I designed the artwork for the Hardware Universe 1997/98 NYE party at Kryal Castle. In 2003 I was involved in a group exhibition “Productivism” at the Art Gallery of Ballarat. A decade on and my wife and I moved here in 2010 with our young son and our daughter was born here a few years later, so we now have a local in the family.

How would you describe the creative community in Ballarat?

From what I’ve seen of Ballarat over the past decade it has really grown as a creative city, there is so much hidden talent here. Personally I keep to myself and being an artist it can be very isolating. When I do get out of the cave, the Facebook group “Ballarat Arts Alive” has always been a great way to connect and keep updated with other artists in the area. They have just started having regular artist catch-ups on the weekends.

Can you give us three words to sum up your inspiration?

Discover, Learn, Create

Follow Jay on Instagram @m_e_r_d_a

Profile Picture: Andy Taylor