Australian art director creates art pieces in quarantine using brown paper bags

KUALA LUMPUR — An Australian art director is using his Covid-19 quarantine time to create cowboy regalia from brown paper bags that contained meals sent to his hotel room.

Apart from a ‘horse’, which David Marriott named Russell (as in ‘rustle’), he also created a cowboy attire and styled a poke bowl into a cowboy hat.

Marriott is into his 10 days of a two week mandatory quarantine in a Brisbane hotel,The Guardian reported.

 

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The Sydney-based art director has been making the most of his prop and costume design skills since entering Australian quarantine following an unplanned trip to London for the funeral of his father, who died unexpectedly in late February after entering hospital following a fall, before ultimately succumbing to Covid.

Marriott had expected “a long two weeks” after observing a similar isolation period at his sister’s home when he landed in London, so he tried to prepare for a smooth return.

He bought a portable speaker to play music, and ordered several balls, planning to teach himself how to juggle.

He however got distracted by the brown paper bags his meals came in as the quarantine dragged on.

“I thought that’s a really cool bag and it’s good quality, thick brown paper.”

“I’ve worked with that medium before, as it’s got a great structure to it,” he was quoted as saying.

He then proceeded to order a pair of scissors and some sellotape.

On the third day of his quarantine, Marriott had poke for lunch, which arrived in a round paper bowl.

“I thought, that’s a hat, if I add some brim to it. That was the beginning of the cowboy, and the vest and the chaps came naturally.”

As for the horse, Marriott had initially wanted to use boxes to construct Russell but later decided to use the ironing board and desk lamp in his room.

Marriott’s creations also helped to cheer his mother and sister up whom he introduced during Facetime calls.

“It made my mum laugh, which has been the best. To see her laughing again has made it all worthwhile.”

“People are just in need of a bit of laughter. This lifts their morale.”

When his quarantine ends, Marriott hopes to recreate a scene from The Godfather by putting Russell’s head on his bed for cleaners to find.

He also hoped that his art will draw attention to a lack of recycling in hotel quarantine, and provide others with ideas on how to use their quarantine time creatively.

“It transports you to an alternative universe, out of quarantine. It’s a bit like dreaming.”