Art

Coming from a long line of amateur (in the true meaning of the word) photographers and being the younger sibling of a photojournalist, it was inevitable that Mo’ju would pick up a camera at an early age. Throughout their teens they were known for avidly documenting the local alternative, punk and artscene, through photographyand audio sound bites that were meticulously catalogued on cassette.

For a time, other interests took hold, but in their30’s Mo’ju rediscovered the same Pentax ME Super that they first learnt to take photos on and reignited their passion forphotography.

Mo’ju has had a lifelong fascination with photo booths. Their commitment to documenting moments in booths around the globe for the last 25 years has grown into an immense collection of self-portraits and a time capsule of friendships, romances and travels. Over time this practice has evolved, seeing Mo’Ju creating abstract collages, stitching and weaving these archival images together.

As a child Mo’ju’s first love was drawing. Their dream was to become a cartoonist or to illustrate children’s books. As a teen they discovered the artwork of Jamie Hewlett and Robert Crumb, drawing an obvious connection between illustration and music, perhaps informing their interest in capturing figures from the Australian underground music scenes.

Named in reference to their family home on the island of Negros in the Philippines, ‘Studio Makopa’ is the banner under which Mo’ju explores their love of fashion and where it intersects with art. Creating one off pieces, often up cycled from used items, restoring them lovingly and turning them into wearable art.