As in other great cities there are excellent walking tours of Melbourne. We walked the lanes and byways of the city with dozens in a great group and discovered interesting little snippets about Melbourne that were new to us.
The “Paris end of Melbourne”, east of Collins street towards the treasury gardens, came to be so known when the owners of the Oriental Hotel sought permission from the council to set up a boulevard cafe on the sidewalk outside the hotel.
At first permission was refused, but, after many a long decade, and just as the 1956 Melbourne Olympics rolled up as an international influence on the near horizon, permission was finally granted for nineteen tables to be allowed space on the sidewalk. Melbourne folk thronged to find a seat. "It is just like the Champs Elysees back in Paris” enthused the owner’s wife, who, herself, was a Parisian. And so the newspapers reported it. And so the notion came into being. And stuck, even today. But, the now dismantled Oriental was the first of them.
The Green Brain canopy atop one of RMIT buildings in La Trobe street was pointed out to us as being commissioned as a new and creative renovation that cost millions.
It is almost as if a green sludge monster has been allowed to grow malformed and unimpeded atop the plain red brick building beneath, and captured there, cast in fixative and neon plastic. With not a hint of connectivity between the building and the canopy. So, not exactly architecture inspired by its context, unfortunately.
Some people think it creative. Others think it such an eyesore they cannot bear to look at it.
Our guide pointed out several other interesting buildings as we came across them. The Eureka Tower, for one. Named so, after the Eureka stockade when gold miners rose up against the unfair tax being imposed by the government. Architects have integrated points of history and detail into the very fabric of the Eureka Tower to enrich its tale.
The gold tower at the top is symbolic of the gold rush, of course. The red stripe, a slash down the side of the building, represents the blood that flowed as the miners rebelled and many died. The blue glass of the building and the white slashes represent the blue and white colour of the Eureka flag. As well, the white lines across the length of the building see the whole as a surveyor’s ruler, broken into its parts by precise white horizontal measurement lines.
To reinforce the gold connection the building has 24 carat gold plated windows on the top ten floors. A lovely building.
Another interesting building that was pointed out to us was the William Barak apartment building. William Barak, we learned, was an early elder of one the aboriginal tribes in the area. He was actually present, it is believed, when Batman drew up his land ‘purchase’ treaty with the aboriginals. Not only that, but he became one of the wise advisors on Wurundjeri ways as well as developing into a great artist, reflecting and honouring the ways of his people.
So great was his contribution to the area that architects sought to include his image as part of the exterior of an apartment block close to downtown Melbourne, and worked in close collaboration with aboriginal representatives to ensure his image was appropriately represented.
Barak’s ageless, timeless, expressive face is moulded into white panels of composite materials on the external facade of the building, contrasting with the black of the balconies. He watches over much of Melbourne, as he ever did. It is quite stunning.
We then walked the graffiti covered lanes of the inner city and learned that not all graffiti is illegal. Apparently, if it is commissioned, if the property owner gives permission for that use of the wall, then the plastic bag toting, hoodie wearing, street artists may even paint in daylight. With their hoods down.
Many streets, buildings, walls and subways throughout Melbourne attract graffiti. But, there must be something in the air in Melbourne, as some of it is not only quite exceptional, but is politically provocative and interesting.
Actually, we seem to be coming to enjoy street art more, these days, than we do contemporary art in museums. Which we haven’t quite cottoned on to, as yet. Having said that, there are places where the squiggles of the graffiti are, still, just eyesores. And once you start allowing the hoards to paint in one place en masse, it is really hard, then, to control where else they might paint, or not. Particularly when half the thrill for the street painters is ‘the edge’ to it. Doing something that is not quite legal.
So, that is an ongoing predicament for Melbourne. As the city fathers are really between a rock and a hard place, now, as Hosier Lane has become quite the hotspot for street art in Melbourne. And is definitely a major tourist draw in the city. Among the biggest in the city, it seems, given the crowds we saw there on several days.
What, too, is interesting is to see the art work on some walls completely change over just two or three days. These street artists are bursting with energy and creativity -- and time. We really enjoyed so much of it. And while there is nothing remaining of Banksy’s contributions on Melbourne’s city walls, there are others who are busy filling commissions that is getting their work seen by as wide an audience.
Take Baby Guerrilla, for instance, one of the few street artists from the female brigade currently working on her displays. She has been busy painting the walls of many of the city buildings, including Victoria University spaces, on commission. Her pieces are vibrant, massive, imaginative. She is an artist who chooses, for whatever reason, not to follow the traditional route. She is not the only one.
Lunch was at a German bar along the Southbank precinct, looking back over the city. The German sausages came five ways, five colours, five flavours. With cabbage varied for each. And a mimosa salad on the side. Along with a selection of sharp mustards. All incredibly tasty. We are loving the food of Melbourne, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment