Arriving 30 October at Market Square Park
Monsters Can’t Fly by Matthew Aberline with Beautiful & Useful Studio
30 October – 8 November 2026, Market Square Park, Subiaco
At the centre of Subiaco’s Halloween celebrations, acclaimed artist Matthew Aberline and Beautiful & Useful Studio will transform the park into a colourful gathering of curious, mischievous and larger-than-life creatures.
Following the success of Aberline’s hugely popular The Light Within installation in April, the artist returns to Subiaco with something decidedly more mischievous.
From Friday 30 October, a curious collection of inflatable monsters will take over Market Square Park, creating an unexpected new playground of colour, characters and photo opportunities right in the heart of Subiaco.
And while Spookiaco may wrap up on 1 November, these cute monsters will linger for an extra week, staying until 8 November.
Whatever you do, don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Meet the artist
Based in Sydney with his team, The Beautiful and Useful Studio, Matthew Aberline is a globally acclaimed artist known for large-format inflatables and vibrant textile-driven installations. His work has featured at major festivals including Enlighten Canberra, iLight Singapore and Vivid Sydney.
About the Art
A magical landscape of colour, light, imagination and very friendly monsters.
Like stepping inside a giant picture book, audiences are invited to wander through a fantastical landscape populated by colourful, patterned monsters. By day, the work is a riot of colour, pattern and curious forms; after dark, the monsters glow from within, brought to life by programmed sequences of animated light. But these monsters aren’t just here to be looked at. Throughout the installation, playful stories and prompts invite children, families and friends to read aloud, move, make noise and join in.
If you were a monster – how would you ROAR?
How would you WALK?
Could you DANCE?
And what if somebody told you that monsters can’t FLY?
At its heart, MONSTERS CAN’T FLY! is a joyful celebration of individuality, imagination and self-expression. Each monster discovers that being a little different might just be the most wonderful thing about them. Created for children of all ages – and the young at heart from one to 100 – the work turns an artwork into a place for shared play, silliness, storytelling and discovery. Designed and handmade in Sydney by Matthew Aberline and his team at BAUS – The Beautiful and Useful Studio, the inflatable sculptures are made using recycled PET fabric. The studio operates using 100% renewable electricity.
Come meet the monsters… if you dare.
These monsters are anything but ordinary. Each monster brings its own personality to Market Square Park, transforming the space into a vibrant landscape of colour, imagination and delight.
Whether you’re snapping photos, meeting up with friends or simply enjoying a stroll, there’s plenty to discover among these larger-than-life characters.
