Future History

Sioné Taufa is the Founder and Creative Director of LOWF Apparel. A former professional rugby player, Sioné transitioned from the discipline of sport into the world of fashion. With LOWF, he champions intentionality over trends creating garments that reflect his ethos and lifestyle inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian culture, architecture and the idea of slowing down The brand values storytelling, craftsmanship, and authenticity at every level.

On this episode Sioné shares how he started a fashion brand with ethos before product, why intentional design beats fast fashion trends, drawing inspiration from Japanese and Scandinavian culture & architecture, lessons from building a long-term brand, how LOWF’s collaboration with The Roots came about and so much more.

Follow Sioné on Instagram: @sionetaufa__/

Follow LOWF Apparel on Instagram: @lowf__apparel/

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Daniel O’Toole is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, sound and moving image. Known for his vibrant abstractions and experimental approach, O’Toole explores the intersections of sensory experiences. His work often bridges visual and auditory realms, creating immersive environments that challenge how we see and feel art. His latest exhibition, Noisy Eyes, draws directly from his experience of Visual Snow Syndrome, translating the condition’s static and perceptual noise into immersive visual and sound works.

On this episode we explore how Daniel O’Toole translates his experience of Visual Snow Syndrome into immersive art, how his practice bridges painting, sound, and sculpture into multisensory environments, what synaesthesia and sensory crossovers reveal about creative process, how the Light and Space movement informs his approach to environment and perception in his work, why risk-taking and evolution are essential to sustaining an art practice and how experimenting with tools can open up entirely new creative directions and so much more.

Follow Daniel on Instagram: @daniel.otoole

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JESWRI is a multifaceted Gadigal artist of the Eora Nation who came into prominence as a graffiti writer, with a career that spans advertising, NFTs, and large-scale murals. A proud co-founder of Honey Bones Gallery and an Archibald Prize portrait finalist, he continues to push boundaries across disciplines. Through his work, JESWRI opens a dialogue about mental health and sparks meaningful conversations around taboo topics, using his many creative practices as a platform for connection.

On this episode, we talk about how JESWRI moved from graffiti to galleries, why community has always been central to his practice, how authenticity matters more than pandering in art and online culture, why fear mongering in the arts discourages people from speaking out, the divide between art and commercial objectives, why he sometimes acts as a mouthpiece for others in the industry, the role of street art in social commentary, why cultural tokenism and the exploitation of Aboriginal art remain ongoing problem and so much more.

Follow JESWRI on Instagram: @jeswri

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Tom Blachford is a commercial and creative photographer renown for his imagery that blurs the line between reality and imagination. Best known for his long-running Midnight Modern series, moonlit photographs of mid-century Palm Springs, Tom weaves narrative into his photos using both traditional photography and AI tools. His work challenges perception, invites curiosity and has been exhibited globally.

On this episode, Tom shares how he creates imagery that blurs the line between reality and fiction with AI tools, how his Midnight Modern series captures Palm Springs architecture under the full moon, why the saturation of AI imagery is making analogue processes more valuable, the problem with AI showing up in every corner of life and eroding trust in what we see, hear and experience and so much more.

Follow Tom on Instagram: @blachford

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Ahren Morris is the Managing Director at Dreamscreen Australia, a state of the art LED virtual production studio. Using advanced LED wall technology, Dreamscreen enables filmmakers to create immersive, lifelike environments in real time. Their mission is to make virtual production more accessible and opening the doors for creators at every level to rethink how stories in video form are made.

On this episode, Ahren shares how virtual production is transforming the filmmaking process, how LED stages enable real-time collaboration between directors, cinematographers, and VFX artists, how Dreamscreen is making this cutting-edge technology accessible to filmmakers at every level, why virtual production requires stronger creative vision in pre-production, how it’s opening new possibilities in storytelling and visual effects, why the future of filmmaking is deeply collaborative and so much more.

Follow Dreamscreen on Instagram: @dreamscreenaustralia

Visit Dreamscreen’s website: www.dreamscreenaustralia.com

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GT Sewell is a visual artist, sculptor, poet, and co-founder of 247art. With extensive experience directing galleries like Versus Gallery, MilkBar, and Oshi, GT blends the digital and physical art worlds. Alongside Jane Rolls, 247art is set out to transform the gallery model and help artists connect with a wider, next-gen audience.

On this episode we dive into how Gen Z is reshaping the future of art creating and collecting, how artists can build broader ecosystems around their work, how digital applications are integrated extensions of how we live, how traditional blue-chip artistry is being redefined by a new wave of red and purple-chip artists, why the new art gallery model is necessary, what are smart contracts, how they can empower artists and so much more.

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00:00 Intro
01:54 AI, VR and AR integration
16:14 Retiring Oshi Gallery
20:03 Traditional x Digital Art
34:04 Physical vs NFT Drop
37:10 New Generation of Collectors
45:41 The Artist is the Business
48:14 247Art - The Evolution of the Gallery
01:06:32 The Undefined Artist Pathway
01:09:31 Building on Experience
01:15:07 Smart Contracts

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Follow XXXX on Instagram: @gtsewell

Visit XXXX’s website: @_247art⁠

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Benjamin Cooper is the Executive Chef at Melbourne’s iconic restaurant Chin Chin. With a background that spans fine dining in the UK and Europe to leading some of Australia’s busiest kitchens, Benjamin brings a balance of technique, intuition and creativity to his work. He is also the author of three cookbooks in the Chin Chin Collection: The Book, Feed Me and Still Hungry.

On this episode, Benjamin reflects on the early decisions that shaped his career, the importance of curiosity, adaptability and and creative risk-taking, how philosophy guides his work, how nourishment goes beyond food to become a form of connection, how great restaurants create moments of true presence, how vision and collaboration bring a restaurant to life, the responsibility that comes with hospitality, how purpose and reason evolve over a lifetime and so much more.

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00:00 – Intro
03:02 – Kitchens & Creativity
07:45 – Led by Curiosity
12:10 – Lessons from High-Volume Service
20:55 – Asian Culture
25:15 – Australian Identity
30:14 – Kitchen Choreography
32:41 – Nourishment, Pleasure, and Presence
37:12 – Collaborative brand Building
43:55 – Gatekeeping vs Natural Evolution
48:55 – Philosophy Over Process
55:51 – Purpose, Reason, and Sacrifice
1:03:20 – Chin Chin and the Lucas Legacy
1:14:29 – Guiding Philosophy
1:15:51 – Redefining Imposter Syndrome

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Follow Benjamin on Instagram: @chefjamincooper

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Wayne Lim is a designer, artist, and host of the Future History podcast, with a career that spans nearly two decades across design, brand strategy and illustration. Having worked with brands like T2 Tea, Marvel, Museums Victoria, and Basketball Australia, he is now shifting focus back to his roots in visual art. Through both his podcast and his artwork, his focus is on process over outcomes using creativity as a tool for reflection, growth, making work that’s true to his experience and grounded in curiosity.

On this episode, Wayne is joined by special guest host, his wife Stacey Lim as they reflect on his journey from design to art, how the podcast was the result of a chapter of life challenges, lessons from pasts guests, the importance of making work for yourself where you're the only measure that matters, why hard work will always beat talent, how lessons from one pursuit can inform and strengthen all the others, why discipline is more reliable than motivation and so much more.

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00:00 - Intro
05:43 - Why I Had to Start This Podcast
11:44 - Running: The First Step Out of Rock Bottom
15:38 - Learning There Are No Limits
22:04 - Reflecting on Past Episodes
25:59 - Having Faith in Your Capabilities
30:50 - Benefits and Philosophy of Marathon Training
39:24 - When Fear Looks Like Self-Sabotage
47:13 - The Mindset Shift: Challenges Are the Way
50:12 - Why Execution Matters More Than the Idea
59:16 - Choose Your Hard
1:02:40 - The Creative Ripple Effect
1:07:56 - From Comparison to Motivation
1:12:58 - The Fallacy of Personal Brands
1:23:56 - Finding Genuine Confidence
1:30:36 - Final Thoughts

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Follow Stacey on Instagram: @staceylimrocks

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Eddie Zammit is an art director and cultural curator. With a career spanning decades, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the Australian creative landscape through magazines, brand collaborations and T-World, a globally recognised publication covering all things T-shirts. Most notable are the exhibitions Eddie curated - Sesame Street 50 Years and Counting, Micky Mouse 90th Birthday, Daniel Johns: Past, Present & FutureNever, Shepard Fairey: Printed Matters Sydney, the Benalla Street Art Festival, most recently, Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary.

On this episode, Eddie shares how nostalgia can be a tool for creative innovation, why curation is about storytelling as much as aesthetics, and what makes an exhibition truly immersive. We discuss the power of pop culture, the psychology behind enduring creative work, the importance of his values in quality, originality and longevity. We dive into the thinking behind exhibitions he’s curated for Mambo, Mickey Mouse, and Daniel Johns and how curation, when done well, becomes a cultural archive plus so much more.

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00:00 - Intro
01:57 - Art Direction vs Curation
05:27 - Creative Values: Quality, Originality, Longevity
08:58 - The Mambo Legacy & Brand Perception
12:51 - Style, Originality & Personal Voice
16:15 - The Role of Memory in Creative Work
20:28 - Cultural References, Aging & Creative Timelessness
25:01 - Daniel Johns Exhibition, Unused Mambo Art and Australia's Cultural Identity
35:42 - Designing Immersive Exhibitions
46:10 - The Power of Artists, Legacy, Persistence & Creating Without Limits
54:53 - Personal Drive and the Emotional Investment
01:04:53 - Basketball Culture & Creative Energy in Sport
01:07:10 - Unexpected Creative Pairings
01:16:00 - Australia’s Cultural Identity on the Olympic World Stage
01:22:48 - The Benalla Art Festival - Embracing Artistic Identity
01:27:50 - Building Value, strategy and branding as an Artist

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Follow Eddie on Instagram: @eddiezammit

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SPOTIFY

#48 - Tinky Sonntag - Finding Magic in the Mundane

Tinky Sonntag is a Melbourne-based installation and street artist known for her whimsical miniature dioramas that transform overlooked urban spaces into scenes of playful storytelling. Her art reimagines vintage and discarded materials into darkly humorous scenes, paired with witty captions that highlight the absurdity and beauty of everyday life.

On this episode, we explore the power of observation, the value of finding meaning in the mundane, and how humour and absurdity can be tools to process life’s heavier themes. Tinky shares insights on embracing imperfection, letting go of ego, and balancing humility with creative confidence. We discuss how storytelling can emerge from overlooked details, why staying playful matters, navigating imposter syndrome as a working artist, how shifting your perspective can transform not just your art, but the way you engage with the world and so much more.

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00:00 Intro
01:15 Finding Humour and Beauty in the Absurd
09:50 Turning Trash into Tiny Worlds
16:05 Early Influences and Inspirations
19:45 Why People Are Drawn to the Work
23:10 Sneaking Artwork into MONA
28:49 Why Her Work Left the Streets
34:44 What Kids Teach Us About Creativity
40:40 Creating Worlds That Pull You In
49:14 Letting Go of Ego and Doubt
55:50 Following Intuition in Creative Work
01:03:15 The Big Bird That Started It All
01:10:03 Happy Accidents and Unplanned Success
01:17:22 Staying Open and Moving Forward

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Follow Tinky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinkysonntag

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