Geoff Todd: Beautiful Beasts

Overview

If art should make audiences think differently about the world around them, then Geoff Todd has hit the jackpot. Sure, his work has been displayed by the National Gallery of Australia and other prestigious institutions, and featured in exhibitions across the United States, Austria, Hong Kong and Italy as well; however his real aim is to shed light on those often ignored.

Focusing on the mythological creatures of several cultures, and following their transformation from their original incarnations, Todd's Beautiful Beasts dissects figures that are frequently persecuted and misunderstood. Of course, while his paintings and drawings depict sirens, minotaurs and more, it's not difficult to see the real-life, modern-day parallels.

Indeed, there's something probing and mesmerising about his pieces, which draw upon Todd's labourious research. Thankfully, pondering his art and its meaning isn't limited to his latest show, with the event doubling as the launch of his new book of the same name.