Melbourne in Retrospect - Artist's Floor Talk

As part of the Australian Heritage Festival (18 April - 18 May 2026), Trinity College warmly invites you to join us for an Artist's Floor Talk with illustrator James Tyrrell, of Harper & Charlie (@HarperandCharlie), at 10.30am on Saturday 2 May.

Tyrrell will talk about his artistic processes and discuss key works on show in the college's Burke Gallery, in the current exhibition, Melbourne in Retrospect.

Melbourne in Retrospect is running in conjunction with the Australian Heritage Festival through until the 28 May.

The Burke Gallery is open to the public, via Tin Alley, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am - 4pm, and Saturdays, 10am - 1pm.

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.