¹û¶³ÊÓƵ

Melbourne in Retrospect - exhibition opening

Join us for the opening of our inaugural exhibition for 2026.
¹û¶³ÊÓƵ grounds on a beautiful sunny day

The Warden of ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ, Professor Ken Hinchcliff, with the Warden-elect Reverend Professor Russell Goulbourne, warmly invite you to join us for the opening of our inaugural exhibition for 2026, Melbourne in Retrospect, by Harper & Charlie.

Join us for a conversation with Dr Benjamin Thomas, Trinity’s Rusden Curator, Cultural Collections, talking with artist James Tyrell, of Harper & Charlie (@HarperandCharlie), and lawyer, historian and author Chris Macheras, of Old Vintage Melbourne (@oldvintagemelbourne), about Melburnians’ great fondness for their city, its heritage and its stories.

Date: Thursday 12 March 2026

Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm

Venue: Professor Sir Joseph Burke Gallery, Gateway Building | ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ, 100 Royal Parade, Parkville VIC 3052

RSVP: By Friday 6 March 2026.

Tickets: Free, but bookings essential.

Enquiries: Briony O'Halloran | events@trinity.unimelb.edu.au | 03 8341 0216

Exhibition: 17 March – 28 May 2026


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.