Bradley Eastman, also known as Beastman, is a Sydney-based multidisciplinary artist, with work spanning paintings, digital illustration, commercial projects and public mural artworks. Inspired by the natural world and biodiversity, he creates his own visual language and conjures future environments of abstracted geometric landscapes, potential new life forms and human intervention with nature. Beastman has exhibited his work globally, with work that is part of the National Gallery of Australia’s collection and created commissioned pieces for major clients like Facebook, Apple and Adidas.  

Now, he’s taking over The Galeries as our newest Artist in Residence, with his energetic and vibrant works, showcased on Ground Floor and Level 1. For The Galeries, Beastman created a festive-themed piece designed to make you feel wrapped in the artwork, like a gift. As you move through the centre, the patterns guide you towards a large structural installation that you can walk through, immersing you in a ribbon of pattern. Celebrating the work of local artists, The Galeries’ Artist in Residence program sees homegrown talent put on display in the buzzy heart of the CBD via installations in The Galeries, be it on the windows, hanging from the ceilings or on decals around the centre. 

Before exploring Eastman’s perspective through his art, we sat down with the artist to understand the inspiration for his installation and creative process that drives all his work.  

I got into art… through my love of skateboarding culture - I always loved drawing, design and photography when I was young and just continued to draw and make things. I studied graphic design after high school and just never stopped making artworks for fun. Over time the fun stuff I was making became so much more. 

I’d describe my art as… vibrant, energetic and distinctive — a dynamic blend of abstracted forms created with measured compositions and patterns. 

I’m really inspired by… the natural world around us and my observations of how humans interact with it. 

My piece in The Galeries draws on… the festive season. The idea I wanted to realise was to evoke a feeling of being wrapped in the artwork like a gift whilst you move through the centre. The patterns all lead you toward the large structural installation which you can actually walk through and feel as if you are inside the gift, wrapped in a ribbon of pattern. 

The best part of creating a piece for The Galeries was… creating these pattern-based digital works on the computer. I’ve generated my own processes and parameters that I can use to construct these works digitally; it’s a very satisfying and almost meditative way to make work, very different than if I was painting. 

I hope people looking at my work… feel energised and joyous. The audience will be able to generate their own perceptions of the work, and feel the positive spirit of the festive season whilst on their journey through the centre. 

In the future, I hope to… continue to push my work in new directions into the future, and look forward to working on more projects that challenge my creative processes, skills, mediums and ideas. 

Visit Beastman's latest public artwork now in centre at The Galeries.