In Street Cricket Boots, Newcastle-based artist John Turier playfully reimagines a worn-out relic of suburban sport. Through his characteristically tactile assemblage approach and weathered, muted palette, he transforms humble materials—discarded cardboard, staples, and found fragments—into a vivid, nostalgic presence laced with quiet irony.

The title knowingly evokes the gritty, unpolished arena of backyard cricket, drawing a line between the resourcefulness of Australian street culture and the formal language of three-dimensional abstraction. Crinkled cardboard and exposed staples convincingly echo stitched leather and rubber soles, while the “Wings” logo introduces a note of borrowed athletic aspiration—echoing the dreams formed on suburban bitumen. The result is a visual gag where the stakes feel high, but the materials remain deliberately low-tech.

Balancing homage with tongue-in-cheek reinvention, Street Cricket Boots reflects Turier’s ability—honed through his background as a skilled craftsperson—to elevate the mundane into something unexpectedly resonant. He binds fine art and rough-hewn construction with a lightness of touch, allowing the work to stand firmly on its own two feet. For collectors of John Turier, contemporary Australian assemblage, and art with a wry sense of humour, this is a sole-stirring discovery.

John TARIER (1954 - )
'Street Cricket Boots' 1997
mixed media
Image Size: 29 x 39 cm
Dimensions: 50 x 60 x 4 cm
Signed: inscribed with name, date and titled verso: John Tarier / Street Cricket Boots,1997
Comes with Letter of Provenance

Condition is Very Good: the artwork is in good overall condition. Its presentation could be enhanced with the replacement of the existing glass, which would improve both its appearance and display quality.

(c) The Artist or Assignee