COVID Superhero 2020-21

In the face of a global pandemic, a new question was posed: What would a COVID superhero look like?

Superheroes have long been the embodiment of good defeating evil, and this new challenge required a hero more powerful than ever before. A hero that could fight against the virus and keep people safe. A hero that could inspire hope and courage in the face of adversity. A hero that could encourage us to stay resilient and persevere through these difficult times. A COVID superhero; a symbol of strength, courage, and hope for a brighter future.

Srivilasa responded by creating a collection of ten ceramic COVID superheroes. The starting point for this project was a series of responses to the question from people in Ballarat, a regional city in southern Australia, and the wider community. Overwhelmingly, the drawn and written superhero responses were in favour of a character that was an empathetic, peace-loving healer.

For Srivilasa, the concept of the superhero encourages us to dream big, enabling our imaginations to soar, unbound by earthly realities.

In lockdown, he drew on his own experiences of surviving a pandemic and while the public responses have informed the works, Srivilasa’s own experiences resonate through the figures. Ultimately, his superheroes echo the anxieties and hopes of our times.

This project is a collaboration between the Art Gallery of Ballarat and the City of Ballarat’s Creative City team.

A similar project was also run in Bangkok at ATTA Gallery in 2021.