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Art at Surf + Sound

DEFENDER Live Art

Oct 16
-
Nov 1
Manly Wharf

DEFENDER is proudly the major partner of Surf + Sound, bringing its spirit of exploration and pushing beyond the expected to Manly through 'Adventures in Sound.' Together, Surf + Sound and DEFENDER will celebrate adventure, music, community, and culture across the festival.

In a world first, five vintage Land Rover DEFENDER's will be painted live during Surf + Sound. Free for public viewing, the vintage DEFENDERS will be brought to life by five of Sydney's leading artists: Karlee Mackie, Stephen Ormandy, Funskull (Elliott Routledge), Daimon Downey and Ozzy Wright. Each will be live painting a heritage Defender live across the opening weekend, Oct 17th & 18th.

Once painted, each of the vehicles will be on display across the 3 weekends as part of the free art trail at Manly Wharf. The artist program has been developed in partnership with our friends at Arts-Matter, a Sydney-based creative studio with deep roots in Australia's contemporary art scene.

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Presented by DEFENDER

Presented by DEFENDER

Presented by DEFENDER

Presented by DEFENDER

Meet The Artists

Meet The Artists

Meet The Artists

Meet The Artists

Land Rover Painting

Stephen Ormandy

Range Rover Classic 1984

Stephen Ormandy is an Australian artist whose multidisciplinary practice explores the intersections of abstraction, design, architecture, and surf culture. Best known as a co-founder of the iconic surfwear brand Mambo, Ormandy has built a respected career creating bold geometric paintings, sculptures, and installations that examine colour, form, and the built environment.

His work bridges contemporary art and everyday life, reflecting a lifelong fascination with visual language, innovation, and the Australian landscape.

Land Rover Painting

Karlee Mackie

Land Rover 1973 Series 3

Karlee Mackie is an Australian artist and surfer whose work is inspired by the rhythms of the ocean, coastal landscapes, and a deep connection to the natural world. Through expressive compositions and a thoughtful use of colour and texture, she captures the beauty, movement, and quiet moments found in life by the sea.

Balancing time in the studio with time in the water, Karlee's creative practice reflects a lifestyle grounded in exploration, authenticity, and a love of the coast.

Land Rover Painting

Ozzie Wright

Land Rover Army Defender 110 Perentie, 1988

Ozzie Wright is an Australian artist, professional surfer, filmmaker, and musician whose bold, playful style has become an icon of contemporary surf culture. Fusing vibrant graphics, punk energy, and psychedelic imagination, his work spans paintings, murals, surfboards, fashion, and film.

Whether creating art, riding waves, or performing with his band Goons of Doom, Ozzie's unmistakable creative vision celebrates freedom, humour, and the joy of living outside the lines.

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Land Rover Painting

Funskull

Land Rover 1974 Series 3

Funskull, the artistic moniker of Elliott Routledge, is one of Australia's most recognised contemporary artists, known for his vibrant murals, large-scale public installations, paintings and sculptures exhibited across the globe. Based in Sydney, Routledge emerged from the city's influential street art movement before establishing an international practice that has seen him create works throughout Australia, Europe, Asia and the United States, alongside collaborations with brands including Nike, Converse, Moncler and Mercedes-AMG.

Deeply connected to Australia's coastal landscape, Routledge's practice often draws inspiration from the relationship between colour, nature and place, creating bold works that feel both globally contemporary and unmistakably Australian.

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Land Rover Painting

Daimon Downey

Land Rover Shorty 1966

Daimon Downey is a multidisciplinary Australian artist, designer and musician whose career spans visual art, performance, fashion and music. Best known as a founding member of the influential Sydney-based band Sneaky Sound System, Downey has exhibited extensively in Australia and internationally, developing a distinctive artistic practice that merges bold colour, humour and a deep engagement with contemporary culture.

A longtime fixture of Sydney's creative community, and moving fluidly between gallery walls, large-scale public works and cultural collaborations, Downey has established himself as one of Australia's most versatile and recognisable creative talents.

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We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land upon which Surf + Sound sits, the Gayemagal people of the Eora Nation. We recognise their continuing connection and unique cultural and spiritual relationship to the land, water, and community. We pay our deepest respects to them and their culture, and to Elders, past, present, and emerging.