The works in this Raincheck show formed part of a larger installation, conceived and exhibited with composer and pianist Michael Kieran Harvey, concrete poet Arjun Von Caemmerer and three local visual artists - Rob O'Connor, Michelle Joy Lee Gopal and Aedan Howlett, under the curatorship of Lee Hobba.  It was held on all four levels of The Bond Store at The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery as part of the 2010 MONA Foma festival and celebrated the artistic life of American composer and rock star Frank Zappa.

The various poodles, pygmy ponies, rats etc all feature prominently in Zappa's songs, popping up on recordings year after year.  The reoccurring use of lyrical themes, musically phrases and sound effects was a device employed by Zappa to provide some Conceptual Continuity to his vast output of music.  For him it helped to tie all his music together and be seen as one large opus rather than a just collection of records.  He also used the phrase project/object to describe the relationship between reoccurring elements of his music and his entire catalogue.  In keeping with these ideas this exhibition offers a re-presentation of objects as part of a larger and ongoing personal artistic project that explores Zappa's relevance and legacy to contemporary culture.

Mat Ward is a Hobart based artist with an interest in painting and installation.  He was awarded an MFA from the University of Tasmania in 2009, worked on the Board of INFLIGHT artist run initiative from 2007 to 2010, presents 'Arts On The Edge', Tasmania's only radio show dedicated to reviewing the Fine Arts and is the Co-ordinator of Hobart's newest emerging art space at The Brisbane Hotel.