My friend Gram wearing his serious 'save the mural' face!!!
Fans of Keith Haring's iconic Collingwood mural are dismayed by a state government decision not to restore the faded landmark to its former glory. Last month, Premier Ted Baillieu announced Arts Victoria would preserve and protect the heritage-listed mural, now in disrepair after years of neglect.
New York artist Keith Haring painted the heritage-listed mural on the former Collingwood Technical College wall in 1984 and it is now one of his last remaining works.
Arts Victoria will preserve the mural as part of the site's redevelopment as the new home of Circus Oz and have not ruled out repainting it if the technology and materials to do so without damaging the original became available.
National Trust public art committee chair Thomas Dixon said the mural would be irrevocably changed by repainting. "The idea of someone taking a bucket and brush to vandalise his work is repulsive. If you want to repaint his mural, find another wall."
But Haring fans are crying foul, claiming the mural should be repainted, in keeping with the late artist's wishes.
Richmond gallerist John Buckley, who brought Haring to Australia, said Haring himself said a signwriter should repaint it. But Mr Buckley acknowedged: "It may be that it is in such bad repair that it can't be done."
Northcote resident Gram Morris (pictured) was prompted to start a Facebook group petitioning to save the mural last year when a rat by street artist Banksy was accidentally painted over. A year on, the group has swelled to over 5000 members. Both sides of the debate will meet at Richmond Town Hall later this month to discuss the fate of the mural.
Anna Whitelaw @'Melbourne Times Weekly'
Regarding the quote "The idea of someone taking a bucket and brush to vandalise his work is repulsive. If you want to repaint his mural, find another wall.", I did not say that exactly. What I did say was that this is an important work of art for all the community and deserves expert and thoughtful attention. There are complex physical issues with the paint and the wall it is on and a simplistic solution of repainting it will do more harm than good and would destroy it. If a reproduction is what is wanted then it should be done somewhere other than on the original.
ReplyDeleteThomas Dixon, Public Art Committee, National Trust (Vic)