About Phoebe
Phoebe Paradise is a multidisciplinary visual artist, musician and designer based in Meanjin, Brisbane, producing illustrations, textiles, murals and public art installations that often explores the tongue-in-cheek mundanities and visual identity of her hometown.
Soon after the success and visibility of these public outcomes, Phoebe was swept up in a whirlwind, year-long national campaign for ‘Behind the Mac’ by Apple. The multi-faceted campaign centered Paradise’s visual arts journey (rather than her fashion designs), and included original illustrations and the recently acquired Subtropical Surreal. This campaign was the start of a change in direction for Paradise’s career, who began a marked pivot away from the label, and instead toward public art & exhibited works.
Since then, Phoebe Paradise has gone on to produce a large body of iconic artworks, illustrations, exhibitions, prints and public sculptural works that have become synonymous with the character of Meanjin Brisbanes’ murky waters, camp visual identity and punk roots.
One of her most venerated works, a surreal illustration of a Queenslander home entitled ‘Swamp City’, became a reluctant symbol of the state’s volatile relationship with its environment during the 2021 floods, while her popular faux-tourism-marketing-campaign piece, ‘SUNSHINE CITY’, seemingly adorns every single fridge, toilet door and sharehouse mantlepiece in Australia.
Notable public installations include her first large scale solo exhibition Sunburnt in the Suburbs in Pine Rivers Art Gallery, painted sculptural work for the permanent Paddington Kooka! Trail and projections for Outerspace ARI on the face of the Judith Wright Centre, among others. Most recently however, her contribution to the Museum of Brisbane’s outdoor exhibition Botanica became a viral hit that was widely documented online, from local TV news all the way to the floor of Parliament House.
Alongside her visual arts practice, Phoebe has been involved in the curation of many impactful events around Brisbane. Cult-hit film festival, ‘BORLFF’, is a multi-faceted program that was developed in collaboration with Two Bit Movie Club, Netherworld Bar and Arcade and Paradise. Alongside the film programming, Paradise and creative partner Sam McKenzie produced two ‘Daybill’ group art shows for local and international illustrators. Most recently however, local group the Stitchery Collective partnered with Paradise to produce VALE VIVI!, a widely attended punk fashion ball and live music event at the Tivoli Theatre; eulogising the recently departed designer Vivienne Westwood with an enormous evening of visual art, live punk bands & fashion.
Each of the ready-to-wear garments were designed with textile prints illustrated and designed by Phoebe, inclusive size ranges and local manufacturing. Collaborative capsule drops included textiles by artists Jonathan McBurnie, Sam McKenzie (Ohnosam) & Celeste Mountjoy (Filthyratbag).
From 2017-2019, Paradise launched her self-titled shopfront in the heart and high street of Brisbane’s notorious nightclub district, Fortitude Valley. Much like Vivienne Westwoods’ SEX shop of the previous century, PARADISE store came in many ephemeral forms and faces over its brief lifespan. PARADISE was a fashion boutique, DIY punk venue & gallery; a revolving door for outsider artists and musicians, hosting fundraisers, laneway festivals and gigs for touring bands and exhibiting artists (and the occasional late night lock-in).
Throughout this period of her career, Phoebe still maintained her illustrative arts practice. She continued to exhibit works in group art shows, and kept up commercial output for clientele such as Splendour in the Grass, Laneway Festival, 4ZZZ radio, and various bands and venues around Brisbane.
In early 2020, her focus diverted from retail output by the COVID-19 outbreak, Paradise was unexpectedly commissioned a series of highly visible public art installations which catapulted her work into the wider public eye. The Brisbane City Council’s Outdoor Gallery Program commissioned Paradise to produce several light-box illustrations (installed in Brisbane’s CBD), and an animated projection, entitled Subtropical Surreal, which would go on to become her first Public Art Collection acquisition.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
A self-taught artist, Phoebe’s commercial illustration practice began in the early 2010s, producing hand-drawn, collaged and xeroxed gig flyers, merchandise designs and record covers for punk bands, indie labels and local venues. Throughout the course of her career, this music community has been a bedrock of support and inspiration for Paradise, who is also well known for her involvement in local underground acts. (Lexicon & Pleasure Symbols most notably).
In 2014, Phoebe began developing arts merchandise of her own to sell at craft markets, boutiques and the then-burgeoning online marketplace. Inspired by the DIY methodology of her local punk band clientele, the label PARADISE was borne. From humble beginnings of photocopied zines, hand drawn t-shirts and custom-painted vintage leather, the label quickly grew to popular cult status across Australia. In a few short years, the label went on to produce multiple collections of fashion garments and accessories, high profile photoshoots, runways, artist collaborations & pop-up shops.
