Big things and pink poodles: Frida Las Vegas’s tour of Australian kitsch - in pictures
Photographer Angus Adameitis explores the unique aesthetic of Australian kitsch, ranging from oversized roadside sculptures to neon motel signs. The feature highlights how these cultural landmarks serve as both nostalgic icons and modern tourist attractions.
Why it matters
It documents a specific aspect of Australian cultural heritage and the evolving relationship between roadside architecture and modern tourism.
Big things and pink poodles: Frida Las Vegas’s tour of Australian kitsch – in pictures | Photography | The Guardian
Larry the Lobster – Kingston, South Australia Europe can keep its Renaissance architecture; we’ve got our own ‘Big Things’. These fibreglass roadside attractions have been tempting tourists since the 1960s, when the Big Banana hit the Coffs Harbour fun park. The Big Merino at Goulburn! The Big Potato at Robertson! These sculptures were designed as happy snap backgrounds pre-Instagram, ‘but they still drew the influencers. Charles and Di stopped by the Big Pineapple in 1983’, Adameitis says. Her favourite is Larry the Lobster, on South Australia’s Limestone Coast. ‘He is fabulous because of his size – 17m tall – plus there is a yoni vibe about the curve of those front toes.’ Photograph: Angus Adameitis
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