Painting the town Dead

Not all art is good and makes an impact.

Art is instrumental to society; it opens a dialogue, ignites debate and evokes emotion.

However, what purpose does it serve when it fails to fulfill these fundamental goals?

Recently, some public murals caught my attention. Not because they were poignant or controversial but rather uninspiring. In fact, it seems a lot of Brisbane’s murals are heading in this direction.

Koalas and kangaroos; echidnas and emus; babies and the bush—for the most part, a commercialised and stereotypical representation of Australian life saturates our streets.

While there are certainly some thoughtful and evocative works plastered across the streets of Brisbane on the whole, I find our public murals underwhelming.

Yet, how we blanket the walls of a city speaks volumes of our society and ourselves. So, why aren’t we utilising public art as an agency for change and as a vehicle to communicate socially relevant themes?

Come on let’s not paint the town dead. Adorn our streets with provocative and riveting works that propel us to discuss, debate and dispute one another. Let’s solidify Brisbane as a progressive society that isn’t afraid to use public art as a means to challenge the social and political climate of our everyday lives.

 

Collectively, these murals foster the image of Brisbane and it’s no different for your business. So, make sure the pictures you use to market your brand accurately represent your company’s values, ideals and philosophy.