Slabs of concrete are pretty boring to look at – you don’t need me to tell you that – so it makes sense for muralists to brighten up the place with their art. From Fintan Magee to the always controversial Lushsux and A+ hyperrealist Matt Adnate, find some of the best street art murals to stop by next time you’re in the big smoke in the list below.
SYDNEY
THE LORD GLADSTONE, CHIPPENDALE
Scott Marsh is a major name in Sydney‘s neck of the woods – legendary for requesting $100K and a lifetime of Yeezys to remove his infamous “Kanye Kissing Kanye” mural. If that’s not baller we don’t know what is. He’s got bits and bobs all over the city – from Biggie Smalls at Chippendale‘s Lord Gladstone (above) to Lee Lin Chin and Ben Cousins at Camperdown‘s The Lady Hampshire and, perhaps our fave, a George Michael tribute on the corners of Bray St and Flora St in St Peters.
22 WILSON STREET, NEWTOWN
Just near Erskineville intersection is this collaborative piece of art whose sole responsibility in this life is to make sure you can always find your car. Thank you Shannon Crees, Ruskidd and George Rose, sincerely. For more of Sydney’s Inner West goodies, check out this Insta.
THE URBAN NEWTOWN, 52-60 ENMORE ROAD, ENMORE
Fintan Magee has some absolute gems all around Australia (and the world) but this one in Newtown is beyond – it’s about gentrification / Sydney’s housing bubble.
ACROSS FROM THE CHIPPENDALE HOTEL
This is another one proving that Magee’s talent is out of this freaking world – it’s no wonder he’s getting commissioned for work around the globe. If you’ve ever wondered how large-scale muralists create masterpieces like this + turn their passion into a profession, gain some insight by watching the video below:
MELBOURNE
OFF JOHNSTONE STREET, FITZROY
A collab between Two One and Matt Adnate delivers good things in Melbourne’s CBD.
CORNER ON LONSDALE STREET & SPENCER STREET
Artist Smug painted his grandparents right down to the fine lines on a four-storey former-power station. Apparently it’s one of the most high-profile artworks in the city, you know.
PERTH
HENDERSON STREET MALL, FREMANTLE
Over five years ago the City Of Fremantle paid a cool $15K for Belgian-born street artist ROA to paint this 25-metre numbat. At the time, ROA told Fremantle‘s coordinator for cultural development, Alex Marshall, that he chose a numbat (which tbh I’d never heard on until writing this) because it’s endangered.
“He thinks people who live in cities forget about their natural environment. He’s very concerned about animals and he wants people to think about them.“
Well, that explains his entire global portfolio, then.
BEAUFORT STREET (BEHIND THE IGA)
There’s a reason this Seinfeld dedication mural in Perth received so much attention late last year when it was erected, and that’s because it’s thorough and brilliant. Watch the video above to get the full scope.
CANBERRA
BRADDON STREET
You’ll find Matt Adnate’s work around Australia and the world, and you’ll know it’s his every time, just like the above, detailed masterpiece.
TOCUMWAL LANE, CANBERRA
Tocumwal Lane‘s street art came into being to help launch a 2015 party in the area, however it’s obviously so well loved that it’s staying put. You can find superhero pieces from the likes of Geoff Filmer, Faith Kerehoma and Byrd here.
HOBART
CRITERION STREET, HOBART
Criterion Street’s fave sad-looking dude has got to be the work of Stormie Mills. Yep, definitely is. More on his work here for y’all.
KEMP STREET, HOBART
Jae Criddle‘s stencil-like works can also be found around Perth, her motherland, at Curtin University and Prince Lane.
DARWIN
BAGOT, DARWIN
Technically just north of the city of Darwin, the community town of Bagot has multiple artworks as part of the Bagot Painting Home Project. The one above is of one of community’s senior elders, painted by Andrew Bourke.
ADELAIDE
THE MAID HOTEL, 1 MAGILL ROAD, STEPNEY
Adelaide artist Lisa King said of her Bowie mural, “9 days some extreme heat and I’m pretty content with my portrait of the master Bowie. Now it’s here for the world to see and remember him by ever single day.”
JIVE BAR, 181 HINDLEY STREET, ADELAIDE
Another one from King can be found at Jive Bar in Adelaide’s city. What can I say? Girl’s got talent.
BRISBANE
WINN LANE, FORTITUDE VALLEY
This guy is all of us waiting for public transport, but there’s not enough poles to go around y’know. Artist? Unknown.
MERIVALE STREET, WILLIAM JOLLY BRIDGE, SOUTH BRISBANE
Multiple murals can be spotted on Merivale Street under William Jolly Bridge as part of The Pillars Project. It’s basically an outdoor art gallery and is a fabbo initiative imo.
ELIZABETH STREET, BRISBANE CITY
Claire Foxton‘s mural of Alethea Bettson – who empowers indigenous youth – went up as part of the Brisbane Street Arts Festival last month and had a mass impact. Foxton is relatively new to the scene and will feature in Wonderwalls Port Adelaide next month.
Ah, what a beautiful world in which we live.
