Nick Bleasel has produced many political art works. While the design on this tea towel is not specifically political, it does represent the artist's sentiments towards the New South Wales Government in the lead up to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The artist was 'annoyed at how the state government was trying to get everyone to behave well' and created this art work as a result. He started by making just a few of the posters at art school but the slogan became immediately effective, catching on quickly in the community and the media. Soon t-shirts and Avant Cards were made and before too long Gowings stores decided to order thousands of t-shirts for their staff to wear during the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Political posters have become an established area of the Powerhouse Museum collection. This object is both a welcome addition to the collection of Sydney 2000 Olympic Games material and also the political art work collection, which includes other examples of Nick Bleasel's work.

This tea towel was designed by Nick Bleasel (b.1961). Bleasel is a graduate of the National Art School, East Sydney, and of the UNSW College of Fine Arts. His work has appeared in several group exhibitions, as well as commercial contexts including staff t-shirts for Gowings stores and posters for the Sydney City Council. Several examples of Nick Bleasel's art work have been published as postcards by Avant-Card. He disseminates his work through a website, Heynick.com.

It was made in the Czech Republic in about 1999-2000.

Tea towel, 'Keep taking your medication. Our Olympic visitors must suspect nothing', linen, designed by Nick Bleasel, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, made in the Czech Republic, 1999 -2000

A white linen tea towel with a black and white print on one side showing caricatures of five smiling people. The red text reads 'Keep taking your medication. Our Olympic visitors must suspect nothing'.

Designed: Bleasel, Nick; Sydney; 1999 - 2000

Made: Czech Republic

Manufacturers tag sewn to the tea towel reads; 'Made in the Czech Republic. 100% linen'. The designer's business card is attached to the tea towel and includes phone and email contact details.

2007/159/1

1999 - 2000

520 mm

740 mm