In early 2020 the team from STM Southern Sydney were excited and looking forward to moving into their brand new office space at Sutherland.
Then COVID-19 hit. The office was like a shiny new toy waiting for batteries at Christmas.
A mural by local artist Bruno Moto, was painted during the challenging time of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
‘The role art plays in people’s lives has never been more important, how it can bring joy and comfort during difficult times.’
The Bright Shire was created by local artist, Bruno Mota, to represent the Sutherland Shire’s culture and lifestyle, illustrating the region’s abundance of beautiful landscapes, nature, beaches and friendly community.
I wanted to bring happiness and all the beautiful outdoor landscapes from The Shire inside the office, to make a positive impact on your mood and energy whilst inside.
With the return back to work and life as we formerly knew it, it’s even more important to connect back to our Community. I hope that this lovely artwork inspires my work colleagues to reconnect back to our Smarter Community family.
Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with Wendy Sharpe while she painted a wall for the Perfect Match public art programme. Titled Women’s Empowerment , inspired by the quote from Audre Lorde, “I am not free while any woman is unfree even with her shackles are very different from my own”.
This artwork is the 100th artwork now painted as part of the Inner West Council’s famously popular Perfect Match programme which started in 2014. Being fortunate enough to have been involved in this programme since the beginning and the author of the book, Perfect Match Street Art of the Inner West, I have seen many street artists aspiring to be Archibald winners, this is the first time I’ve seen an Archibald artist aspiring to be a Street Artist.
Things have definitely changed over the past six years.
Those of you that know me know that I love street art, I love the vibrant colourful walls of the Inner West and I love that our street artists are getting out there and appreciated for their art. But have we forgotten to have fun? Recently someone has been brave enough to get creative with Brad Robson’s, Woman’s Honour mural, painted in 2019. It’s subtle and funny and when I saw this, you know what, I laughed. It’s clever and just the kind of thing that has always appealed to me. When did we all get so serious?
This year has been horrible and serious and more than ever I’ve needed to have a good laugh. There was a time all I needed to do was walk the laneways of Newtown and find plenty of humorous writings on the walls to keep me entertained. Don’t get me wrong I love Brad Robson’s mural, and I appreciate what the council is doing to colour our walls with art but god I miss the random writing on the walls. Bring back graffiti, bring back fun!
Land Art is something that is pretty much unheard of these days.
This weeks death of great artist Christo bring back to mind a time when amazing art installations such as his wrapped buildings, bridges and landscapes were possible.
I cannot imagine with the environmental and occupational issues off today, any of Christos great artworks would ever have made it past the concept stage.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Wrapped Reichstag, temporary installation by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 1995; in Berlin.
In 1969 when people were looking to the sky at the man on the moon, Christo was here in Australia’s east coast wrapping the Little Bay coastline in Sydney. Quite astoundingly his death this week coincided with the historical launch of SpaceX.
Farewell Christo, I never get to see any of your artwork in real life, but have Images of your amazing installations imbedded into my mind. I shall think of the moon now – not as a ball of cheese but a Christo wrapped planet.
Ive been seeing these Aussie paste-ups for many years. They
are the work of artist Peter Drew. His ‘Real Aussies say Welcome’
campaign started in Adelaide some years ago.
In 2013, Drew started pasting up
his posters to draw attention to Australia’s immigration issues and a direct
response to the Australian government’s ‘Stop the Boats’ campaign.
Recently, as an evolution of this campaign, posters have
progressed to a more simplified version such as this one I saw recently in town
hall.
In the series there are a variety
of different faces. This poster here is of Monga Khan. Khan was one of
thousands of people who applied for exemption to the White Australia Policy in
the 1920s. Khan was one of many cameleers, hawkers and other traders that were
granted exemptions because their work was essential to Australian’s growing
economy.
Peter Drew’s paste-up campaigns
have been drawing attention to peoples’ attitude to Australian identity,
migration, cultural difference for many years now.
Last year Peters book Poster
Boy was published. You can find out more about these posters and purchase the
book www.peterdrewarts.com/
Scotty Marsh’s Merry Crisis mural now available printed on a t-shirt
Reading
any newspaper or social media channel over the few weeks its pretty hard not to
be confronted with horrific images of the devastation of the bushfires.
However, amidst all this sadness, artists all over the country are banding together to support the victims and the brave firefighters, offering everything from selling t-shirts, free gigs, donations from sales and raising funds by any means possible.
From the amazing fundraising efforts by notable people such as a comedian raising millions of dollars in donations, to street artists such as Scotty Marsh raised over $50,000 in t-shirt sales for the Rural Fire Service as a result of ‘Merry Crisis’ his Chippendale mural that went viral.
I have read about
craft and knitting groups knitting socks and pouches for animals, Musicians
holding fundraising gigs across the country, jewellery makers, screen printers,
hairdressers, chefs and restaurants donating their profits.
I
see time and again when crisis hits, the fighting and supportive Australian
spirit shines true.
Anyone
interested in continuing the support Time Out Sydney has a list of
events whose proceeds will all go towards bushfire charity fundraisers. Bushfire Relief Events
Melbourne folk can wine and dine while doing their bit to help. A
list of food and beverage places whose proceeds are helping the cause can be
found here on Broadsheet.
Supporting each other is what the people and the arts do best.
Over the last month I’ve had the pleasure of working on an
installation in a new STM office in St Leonard.
Featuring in the office foyer is the vibrant artwork by
local artist Silly Pear (Charlie Nivison). Charlie has captured
the essence and quintessential elements of NSW and Sydney life in his
mural,‘Sydney’s brighter side’.
The artwork depicts a celebration of significant
references from growing up in Sydney’s northern suburbs. Summer
days spent at the beach, hibiscus flowers, the innocence of young girls
with flowers in their hair, and the importance youth plays in the
evolution of this city.
This vibrant, playful artwork welcomes customers
into the STM office.
Drawing from the artwork I designed the office frosting, capturing the waratahs and gum leaves, blending together a connection between artwork and the office environment.
This vibrant, playful artwork welcomes customers into the STM office.Drawing from the artwork I designed the office frosting, capturing the waratahs and gum leaves
I think the overall effect is a perfect blend of art and workplace.
Whilst councils are committed to the quick clean-up of graffiti, the lure of a freshly painted wall is too attractive for taggers, an invitation to encourage new graffiti, it seems no suburb is immune to the issue. And so the cycle goes on, proving an expensive exercise to remove each time.
Why not turn the cycle around? This is whats being done in and around the Inner West with outstanding results. Sydney’s Inner West Council has recognised it is time to consider a different attitude towards graffiti.
The Perfect Match program is a renowned alternative council initiative started to combat local graffiti. Now resulting in something far greater than anticipated.
Perfect Match is a unique initiative tackling
unwanted graffiti through fostering legitimate creative expression and art in
public spaces. This program has grown to become one of Australia’s best-known
public art and graffiti prevention initiatives.
The program’s unique approach brings artists,
residents, businesses, property owners and the community together to
collaboratively create fantastic new street artworks in public places.
Newtown’s Bedford Foundary
One perfect example of a successful response
to battle graffiti is at the Bedford Foundary apartment block in Newtown.
Historically this building site was a playground for graffiti artist wanting to hone their artistic skills.
BEFORE DEVELOPMENT: the building was constantly targeted by taggers
Located close to railway lines, proven
attractive for offenders, the site’s developers knew they had to find a new
method to address the issue of constant tagging and feature this in the design
of the new apartment development.
The developers, in collaboration with
architect, PBD Architects, designed a building that responds to the culture of
the local community, and doesn’t work against it.
The Bedford Foundary apartment block features space for a large street art piece on the surrounding, diagonally piercing blade walls.
ARTIST IMPRESSION POST DEVELOPMENT: The Bedford Foundary
Social media used to seek artists
The mission was then set to
find the right artist for the development. A social media campaign was
established by the developers calling for entries from artist interested in
being involved in the project:
“Do you want to be the artist commissioned to paint the
graffiti works on this forth coming development?
Send us what a draft of the artwork which you would install on this
building. The judging will be based on community voting (ie likes, and
comments) as well as suitability for the project which will be determined by
the developers and architects.”
Several responses were
received and the decision was made to commission
the artwork of highly respected local street artist, Steven Nuttall, well known
as Ox King.
The result was outstanding. This striking artwork spans the entire western feature wall in a burst of red, blue and orange colour. Steve’s work adds a funky edge to the sharp concrete lines of this architecture.
For years tunnels built to allow people to cross safely under
railway lines have been a favourite site for graffiti. Petersham Station subway, like most tunnels
in the Inner West has always been heavily graffitied and not a very safe or inviting
space for local residents who often have to use these tunnels on their daily
commute.
This year the Inner West council in collaboration with
Sydney Trains have commissioned artwork as part of the Perfect Match Contemporary
Art Program to paint the tunnel, preventing unwanted graffiti through fostering
legitimate art in public spaces.
Called “Vanishing
Point” this artwork is a collaborative works by local artists Tim Phibs,
Brad Eastman, James P Simon and George Rose. The mural creates a visual journey
for commuters as the travel throughout the tunnel. Geometric patterns derived
from aerial photographs of the railway tracks.
This mural is a celebration of contemporary street art, the
acknowledging of traditional owners of this land and dedicated team of people
who believe that fighting the battle against graffiti is not won by covering
walls with brown but often more successfully received when bringing art to the
public while offering a showcase for our local artists.
Sydney Trains, strict zero tolerance to graffiti along with the Heritage listing of the Tunnel mean this project almost did not go ahead, being bogged down in bureaucratic paperwork. But council was dedicated to the pursuit of the project along with the determination of the artists meant the success of this landmark piece.
While openly admitting years ago he may have once been
responsible for some of the graffiti in the tunnel, he is now fortunate enough to
make a career out of his skills. Street art projects such as these can be
inspiring to young artist considering a future in the arts.
The inner west is Sydney’s spiritual home of
street art. This past 10 years has seen a significant shift from illicit
tagging and graffiti to the more contemporary street art pieces being seen.
This can only be attributed to more social acceptance, tolerance and projects
such as this one that allows the artists the time and funding to truly show us
what they can achieve.
So if your out and about Sydney – make sure you hop off at Petersham Station and go see this wonderful piece of street art.
Have
you ever wondered why you prefer to hang out some place but not others?
As
a city resident I often find myself migrating to my usual hangout to walk the
dog, catch some outdoors or meet up with a friend.
I
often try to remind myself that I should venture outside of my comfort zone
more. But there is more to your local comfort zone than just familiarity. I
began to ask myself what and why?
Public
Placemaking is something I am hearing and taking notice of more and more. A
creative way to reconnect your community. Placemaking capitalises on a
local community’s assets, inspiration, and potential, with the intention of
creating public spaces that promote people’s health, happiness, and well being.
Placemaking is nothing new. Councils and developers have been creating these
environments with parks and public spaces for years. Its only recently around
my city I am noticing more attention is being taken to create these mini
community places.
But
sometimes inadvertently these places create themselves. Abandoned buildings and
industrial sites often have an atmosphere begging to be discovered. All it
takes is creative input and some art to pull together the trendiest locations.
On
my Street Art tours I sometimes take people down alleyways and laneways. Places
quite often many people would not usually venture. Most people are surprised at
what they find. I love exploring abandoned places. Graffiti and street art
amongst the harsh industrial backdrop provokes beautiful urban space. Add the
smell of coffee and the lour of music and the place, transforms an
abandoned crack den to somewhere even the coolest hipster would be willing to
hang.
Gentrification is welcomed as a ‘cleaning-up’ of suburbs. But how much cleaning up should we do before the atmosphere needed to encourage community gets lost? Creating pleasurable public spaces is more than cleaning, renovating and infiltration of expensive eateries for the well-off to enjoy. (Tramsheds comes to mind).
We need the diversity, creativity, inspiring atmosphere, community assets and potential for it to thrive.
