Writings on the Wall
A couple of weeks ago, the Heist team concluded fieldwork in Sydney — this was my third trip to this beautiful city which I haven’t visited in a decade. With every visit, I discover a little bit more about the city that makes Sydney more endearing to me. This time, it was the city’s street art.
Heist’s pop-up studio in Sydney was set up in Paddington. During the two weeks of fieldwork, we often took walks around the neighbourhood that was home to many quaint boutiques and artisan cafes. We also encountered many fine murals that carried similar flair and grace — perhaps an artistic representation of Paddington’s finesse.
I love street art for it represents the creative freedom granted to the people of a city. The very fact that people can express themselves openly makes a city feel instantly alive and vibrant.
Messages left behind by the artistic community on these walls also signal the history and development of a city. Sydney’s street art has come a long way since its emergence from the shadows of unsolicited graffiti, moving from a subculture and into the mainstream. As the authorities become more interested, it is also clear that the city’s street art can no longer be a collection of unruly artistic display but paintings that mostly resemble fine art. This includes the Bondi Graffiti Wall, the playground of graffiti artists in the 70s that is now a legal space where artists must apply for permission to paint.
Some of the iconic ones from the 1970s and 1980s have disappeared as Sydney developed over time while some have survived the city’s cleansing of unwanted graffiti. Today, artists are only allowed to paint freely with the permission of property owners or the town council. On the upside, the city has recognised the role of street art in the community and given it a place in the City of Sydney Public Art collection.
Now that I know where to find a comprehensive list of Sydney’s street art, I will know where to look the next time I’m in Sydney!
