POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

'David McDiarmid & Peter Tully 1984' poster

Object No. 2008/129/5

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (until 1989 the Sydney Gay Mardi Gras) originated in June 1978 as a political demonstration march advocating the civil rights of homosexual people in Australia. The Mardi Gras has since become an annual calendar of events in which the Mardi Gras parade (February/March) and the Sleaze Ball (September/October) are the headline events. The Mardi Gras parade is one of Sydney's most spectacular annual festivals with state, national and international appeal. These posters complement the Museum's extensive collection of Mardi Gras posters, the earliest dating from the late 1970s. The posters demonstrate the role of grassroots activism, cultural development and graphic design in the gay community and wider Australian society as well as the major annual events that the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras contribute to the community and cultural life of Sydney and Australia. David McDiarmid (1952-1995) was an artist, designer and outspoken AIDS activist, who studied film (and design) at RMIT. The AIDS epidemic became the focus of his creative output. He was also a director of the Mardi Gras workshops from 1988-1990. McDiarmid's designs for the 1992 ACON safe sex posters and postcards were highly effective and established him as one of the most outstanding activist artist's in Australia. His art and graphic design fought the war against intolerance and prejudice against gay people and people with AIDS. McDiarmid died of AIDS on 25 May 1995. Peter Tully was one of Australia's most significant artist/designers working in the field of jewellery and clothing. He used contemporary materials to explore the primitive and tribal behaviour patterns of post-industrial society and called this work 'Urban Tribalwear'. This exhibition poster, designed by McDiarmid, is indicative of his experimentations with mixed media and the collaborative relationship between the two designers. Leah Domanski April 2008