PRUE GIBSON examines the appeal of miniaturised works whose quirky elements seem to be completely rational and entirely realistic in a splintered and uncertain world.

In the lead-up to the 150th anniversary year of Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species, several Australian artists became interested in objects of natural delight, fetishised within museum display cases. Perhaps this is because the ritualistic display of collectibles provides fanciful possibilities. Brisbane artist Alasdair Macintyre has long been interested in museum-style diorama displays but his objects are far from dusty and there are no documentation toe-tags on his relicts.

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Alasdair Macintyre, Quo Vadis, (installation outside the Cathedral of Saint Stephen, Brisbane), 2008, polymer clay, polystyrene and mixed media, 184 x 131.5 x 168cm. Collection of the artist. Courtesy Ryan Renshaw Gallery and Sullivan + Strumpf Fine Art. Photograph by John Bean.