Mega Mutant Metal Mammals

The research for this film was part of Ursula Frederick’s doctoral thesis ‘On and Off the Road: Creative Intersections Between Cars and Art’. This practice-based research explored the aesthetics of car cultures in Australia, Japan and the USA. A particular focus concerned how artists respond to contemporary ideas and issues through a creative engagement with the automobile. The short film Mega Mutant Metal Mammals explores the work of Mark ‘Scrapdaddy’ Bradford, an artist based in Texas, USA. Bradford is inspired by recycled materials— and named Scrapdaddy for his ability to bring scrap metal to life. At the time of filming Bradford had already created more than twenty ‘art cars’, some of which sat outside his workshop on the side of the road, others were in vacant lots around Houston and several were in private collections. Scrapdaddy continues to build his metal machines and this short documentary film tells the story of what inspires Scrapdaddy to create his car-creatures. The film was produced specifically for the Beauty and Beasts exhibition. Katie Hayne and UK Frederick conducted the filming and editing of the material utilising ethnographic filmmaking as a methodology for eliciting and communicating narratives around socially engaged art practice.