Cody Weightman’s passion brings out stars for a good cause

Up a flight of stairs, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, in Melbourne’s hip modern north, is a minimalist warehouse space where, for one weekend only, feet and art meet in the middle.

The dichotomy between the hectic and all-encompassing nature of Footy and the wholesome and relaxing nature of its art has always been something that fascinates Western Bulldogs ace Cody Weightman and led to Wednesday night’s launch party for his new exhibition. Beyond the Game.

Among the surreal canvas paintings, redesigned skateboards and projections projected onto the walls in the ‘At The Above’ gallery are some of the biggest names in AFL and AFLW showcasing their skills outside of the game.

“I thought the idea of ​​the event was good and it was something that would attract AFL players. We thought people would be keen to get involved and do a nice charity event while also promoting what they do outside of footy,” Weightman. say AFL.com.au.

The artwork is by Weightman, with a silent auction running over the weekend to raise money for the ‘Make A Wish’ foundation. His Bulldogs teammate Liam Jones provides the tunes on guitar, Melbourne superstar Christian Petracca is in the kitchen serving the food, Bailey Smith’s ‘Barry’ drinks are handed out, while Adelaide premiership player Abbey Holmes, is the evening’s MC.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is in attendance, almost every other Dogs teammate surveys the art, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon lets loose, Victorian cricketer Peter Siddle walks around the room, while friends and colleagues from all AFL competitions and the AFLW also show their support.

Even the host venue has an AFL connection. At The Above is a gallery and concept space owned by West Coast mainstay since 2006, Tyson Stenglein, who, along with his creative agency Space Between, works with similar artists and brands using their in-house studio to to collaborate on exhibitions and campaigns. .

“Cody started talking to my business partner and really loved his energy and vibe and saw some of his work and thought he would be a good fit as a young up and coming artist. ‘Make A Wish,’ so we were more than happy to get involved and help,” says Stenglein AFL.com.au.

Weightman’s dedication to his art grew from a hobby to a true passion when he began repairing damaged surfboards at the age of 16, covering the repair work with his own creations and reselling the boards for use as interior decor.

However, after being drafted to the Western Bulldogs as a first-round pick in 2019, he soon realized that housing more than 20 surfboards at a time in his small apartment was not viable. He started using a smaller canvas in the form of skateboards, with some of his best work going on display next weekend.

“I can be pretty busy with my thoughts in those weeks when there’s a lot of focus on my game and stuff. I tend to shy away from it a bit. It’s something that’s really helped me and given me something to focus on outside of footy,” says Weightman.

“When I feel like there’s pressure on the outside and stuff, it’s a nice escape for me to have something else to focus on and block out and I can put on my headphones and make art for hours. It’s probably the only way I’ve really learned not to think about footy or what people say about me.

“I didn’t really know it was going to be a thing, but it’s definitely become a passion more than a hobby. It’s what I had with footy when I was a kid and when footy was all innocent and good. As footy loses that. innocence and control comes a lot more and stuff, it becomes more of a job. I’ve found that with my art, it’s the thing that gives me a release and gives me back my innocence.”

Weightman now hopes that other athletes – even those from sports outside the AFL and AFLW ecosystem – will get in touch with their own passions, with the impressive player keen to turn ‘Beyond The Game’ into a bigger annual event that also includes more skills and projects.

“It’s nice to have something else. I think a lot of players are getting to a point now where they have other things. That’s a big part of the exhibition, exploring that and getting other players involved in their passions and hobbies.” says Weightman.

“Hopefully we can turn this into an annual thing where athletes from every sport can show what they do on or off the field and spread awareness that there’s more to footy or more to life than our sport.”

‘Beyond The Game’ runs from 30 August – 1 September at ‘At The Above’, 198 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy.