Trophy 2018

This collaborative project was part of the fifth and final prestigious Basil Sellers Creative Arts Fellowship, supported by philanthropist and sports fan Basil Sellers AM and hosted by the Australian Sports Museum (ASM) at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Srivilasa’s project centred on trophies; the emotions they elicit and the connotations they carry. He conducted a playful and witty re-examination of trophies in a series of interactive public drawing workshops at the NSM in April 2018.

By imagining and drawing a trophy for a particular family member, friend, pet, sports hero, or other individual, participants were freed from traditional preconceptions about what a trophy should look like or be awarded for. The results were an incredible range of individual and unique designs each with a personal story.

Using this this publicly engaged image research as a starting point, Srivilasa mined the extensive archive of the Melbourne Cricket Club Museum’s collection of sporting awards to create a unique collection of sculptural pieces.

As a result of this research phase, Srivilasa was inspired by the trophies in the collections that combined multiple materials, including glass, metal, and wood. Despite specialising in ceramics, Srivilasa saw the Fellowship as a chance to explore new material and broaden his art practice.