Art can be found in many different forms. Street art is a form of visual art that has been created in public spaces, such as on the walls of buildings or on roadway infrastructure like underpasses or noise barriers. It is contemporary art which conveys the artist’s message for the general public to see and comprehend. It is often a subject of controversy when it is undertaken without the consent of the owner of the walls upon which it is created.
Changing Opinions about Street Art
It is interesting to see the change that has occurred in the public opinion surrounding street art. It has become widely accepted as a popular form of visual artistic expression, and many cities are providing legal spaces and commissioned works for street artists to display their works. The city of Melbourne has recognised the attraction of the creativity of street art for both local and overseas visitors. The works of artists will be found in alleys and laneways around the city, and much of it is now done with the permission of the building owners.
You will find a list of the current street art sites around Melbourne on the City of Melbourne website.
Different types of Street Art
There are different types of street art forms, such as stencils, wheat pastings, sticker art, street poster art, and murals. My favourite types of street art
On my last visit to Melbourne, I was able to find and capture some of the current street art around the city. I really appreciated the skill these artists have and the fact that they spent their time creating these amazing murals. Different styles of art and expression are all found in close proximity, which makes the streets an interesting walk.
A quick tour of some Melbourne CBD Street Art
This impressive piece is 23 meters tall and was painted by the Melbourne based artist known as Adnate. He was invited to paint the mural after scaffolding was bought in to make repairs to the actual wall.
A captivating piece signed by artists called Heesco & HeraLennox painted this tribute to five of the world’s best chefs: Ben Shewry, Joan Roca, Massimo Bottura, Daniel Humm and Heston Blumenthal. This mural sits unobtrusively in a quiet lane behind a renowned Thai eatery called Chin Chin.
Hidden away around the corner at the end of AC/DC lane you will find this large scale mural of a man carrying a tree, painted by Fintan Magee.
Artist Steen Jones painted this 12.5m high mural in Melbourne. It is in Duckboard Place.
This little guy in the back of Duckboard Place is the cutest!
There is even a reflection in his eyes. Awesome!
I was amused by this work expressing the artist’s opinion about using street art to convey ads or wedding proposals (is that even a thing?).
And then when I saw this one, I laughed. Too funny.
As I walked around I enjoyed finding the different works. My walk took me through Hosier Lane, Oliver Lane, Higson Lane, ACDC Lane and Duckboard Place.
Still more to see
It took me about an hour and a half to see all of these as they were located in the same area of Melbourne. I captured the works of art that were there at the time, but Street Art by nature is everchanging. I enjoy knowing that next time I am there, I may see a few different works on the walls.
I will be updating this post with new and different pieces I find in my travels. So if you check back in on it from time to time, you may find some changes here and there!
Port Melbourne
On a different visit to Melbourne, I found this vibrant work in Donaldson St in Port Melbourne. It is often the case that where you see one, you will often find others near-by. Unfortunately, I was only there on a brief visit this time, and I didn’t have time to explore the area.
Where will you stay when you are in Melbourne?
Related Posts
If you liked this post, maybe you would like to read about my discoveries of Street Art in Western Australia
