Revheads take trip to fantasy heaven

Rev Head art exhibition by Eamon O'Toole at the Ipswich Art Gallery. Scott Smith of Flinders View with his son Lachlan.

David Nielsen

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Revhead at Ipswich Art Gallery

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IMAGINE being able to turn your passion for motorsport into Wayne Gardiner's world championship Honda motorbike, or Ayrton Senna's McLaren Formula 1 car.

With the help of plastic, aluminium, a few paints and his own ingenuity, artist Eamon O'Toole has done just that.

O'Toole's RevHead exhibition features sculptures of his favourite motorbikes and cars, and is being shown at the Ipswich Art Gallery.

The full-scale replicas of iconic speed machines were painstakingly built by O'Toole from handcrafted moulded components and parts.

Arts, Community and Cultural Services Committee chairman Charlie Pisasale said Eamon was an artist who embraced the Australian tradition of "making do", to an impressive result.

"He approaches his work with the enthusiasm of a backyard inventor and creatively problem solves by handcrafting materials into highly detailed artworks which appeal to both the motor sport enthusiast and the backyard tinkerer," Cr Pisasale said.

"When you look at the pieces it is hard to imagine someone has crafted this out of plastic and aluminium and a few paints. It is really impressive work."

O'Toole first achieved recognition in 1987, and the sculptures featured in RevHead have been selected from his 25-year long body of work.

The exhibition will be hosted at the Ipswich Art Gallery from now until Sunday, May 6.

It is a joint initiative of Gallery, Ipswich City Council and Speedcafe.com.