By Deanne Jeffers
OFFICIALLY unveiled at Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) on Saturday, May 18, ‘Can You Peel the Love Tonight’ by Melbourne-based artist Kenny Pittock is a playful celebration of the Goulburn Valley’s fruit growing history.
Pittock said, “My earliest memory of Shepparton would be making the pilgrimage with my dad to the SPC factory and stocking up on peaches, because we both love them, so I kind of started there.
“There was a lot of research into what sort of produce comes from Shepparton and the region, and what it means to the community and also Australia more widely. I wanted to celebrate and pay tribute to that heritage.”
The still-life artwork represents various eras of iconic cans over 100 years, and ceramic works also representing a century of fruit canning in Shepparton. Pittock said, “I started off just thinking about cans and once I kind of came up with the concept and the title I made these two ceramic sculptures of cans with the lids peeling back, with the lids forming a heart shape where they meet.”
Speaking to Pittock as he was painting the mural at the top of SAM on the Furphy Family Art Wall, he said, “A lot of people come in here, it’s quite a busy spot.
“I’ve been having lots of really nice conversations with people. One person was really fun. They were really touched by the artwork, and they were like, oh, you know, all my children have all done night shift at the SPC factory and it’s been really nice to have people sharing the connection to the work even before it’s finished. It’s been quite special.”
‘Can You Peel the Love Tonight’ is the fifth commission for the museum’s Furphy Family Art Wall and is on display now until February 2025 on SAM’s Level 4.
