This work was painted in September 2020 in Newcastle, NSW as a part of Big Picture Fest. As reported by streetartnews, “Shadow” explores the role of de-industrialisation, isolation, renewal and the new work force in post-industrial Australian cities.
This work depicts two rail-workers behind beveled glass. The Arctic glass pattern in the painting was common in middle-class Queensland homes in the 1960s and was used in French doors and windows. Some of my earliest memories of Queensland architecture was my father's silhouette through the glass doors when he got home. The work explores the role of de-industrialization in urban communities and on the suburban fringes of Australia. The figures in the mural appear distant, disconnected, isolated, and breaking up. As middle-class homes become increasingly out of reach for working-class Australians and lower-pay and job insecurity continues to shape how we work, this painting explores how nostalgia shapes political views and how workers view their communities and the outside world. The work specifically looks at two rail workers from the city of Ipswich. As Queensland was in lockdown, many people in management or admin roles were able to isolate, while many essential, transport, delivery, and medical staff continued working. Keeping our economy functioning and food supply moving. This painting pays tribute to these essential workers while proposing a reassessment of how they are valued in the post-COVID-19 world.
This work is a portrait of three generations of a Wiradjuri family. Painted on the exterior of Dubbo base hospital, the space acts a meeting point for different family and language groups of the greater Western Plains region. This work explores the role storytelling and dance have in the sharing of cultural knowledge between generations, highlighting the importance of family structures in cultural preservation and identity.
This work was created in collaboration with Di Mcnaboe and Lewis Burns. I thank them for their assistance and knowledge sharing throughout the mural production process.
