Exhibition Opening

The Warden of Trinity College, the Reverend Professor Russell Goulbourne, warmly invites you to join us for the opening of our inaugural exhibition for 2026, Melbourne in Retrospect, by Harper & Charlie.

Join us for a conversation with Dr Benjamin Thomas, Trinity’s Rusden Curator, Cultural Collections, talking with artist James Tyrrell, of Harper & Charlie (@HarperandCharlie), and lawyer, historian and author Chris Macheras, of Old Vintage Melbourne (@oldvintagemelbourne), about Melburnians’ great fondness for their city, its heritage and its stories.

Date: Thursday 12 March 2026

Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm

Venue: Professor Sir Joseph Burke Gallery, Gateway Building | Trinity College, 100 Royal Parade, Parkville VIC 3052

RSVP: By Friday 6 March 2026.

Tickets: Free, but bookings essential.

Enquiries: Briony O'Halloran | events@trinity.unimelb.edu.au | 03 8341 0216

Exhibition: 17 March – 28 May 2026

About the exhibition

'The light, the colours, if I close my eyes that's exactly how I picture it' – @urbanartmeetsnature, Instagram comment, 2025

James Tyrrell, of Harper & Charlie, captures Melbourne in a way that deeply binds us to the city’s story and our memories of it.

Drawing upon archival photographs of buildings and places, some of them long-gone but often not forgotten, the Melbourne-based illustrator reimagines the city’s changing landscape in a style that evokes the same period, reminiscent of vintage travel posters.

His works span some of the city’s best-loved icons – Flinders Street Station, the State Library of Victoria, the neon-lit ‘Skipping Girl Vinegar’ sign – to lesser-known buildings that once graced Melbourne’s streets, that have been lost through development. On Instagram, his illustrations elicit a passionate flood of memories, anecdotes and recollections. 

Throughout his career, James has worked for global brands across a range of industries including travel, apparel and large-scale architectural projects. His work has been shortlisted multiple times in the AOI World Illustration Awards.