Bio & Rationale
Mel Hartigan is a Naarm/Melbourne-based visual artist whose practice blends surrealism, satire, and observation into works that sprawl across drawing, sculpture, animation, and printmaking. Their pieces often begin as a form of gameplay – small personal challenges or prompts – and grow into elaborate, layered narratives. What ties it all together is a fascination with opposites: real versus unreal, attraction versus revulsion, human versus inhuman.
Mel’s etching Spree I was one of two works created in response to the prompt “Kiss or Kill.” The piece depicts anthropomorphic currawongs bent into a border-like configuration, eyes sharp, beaks smiling, hands joined in mutual satisfaction. It’s unsettling yet magnetic, playful yet macabre. This juxtaposition of humour and menace runs throughout their body of work, offering viewers both delight and discomfort.
For Aether, Spree I was featured on our Peanut Butter Stout. The beer’s rich, indulgent character mirrored the depth and tension in the etching. Just as the stout balanced sweetness and savoury nuttiness, the artwork balanced whimsy and unease. It was a pairing that showcased how beer labels can hold serious art without losing accessibility.
