300th post-Bradmill

Bradmill sits as a hollow empty shell where life was once abundant with workers in the cotton textile factory. The industrial complex silent, filled now with the sounds of the busier then ever West Gate Freeway and the occasional train. The building stands as a monument of the west sides former blue collar workforce. Yarraville history and origin fades with relics of its former glory like Bradmill stand still amongst the 'progress' and development of residential urban sprawl. Capturing infill development of spaces rezoned for much needed housing, even though we don't pause to consider the increasingly affluent aspirations of the middle class. 

    20 photos

 

Rural tennis courts

Abandoned, north central Victoria

 

Jewel Spiders upon entrance

Fairfield-2016

 

Tuns stomper Newcastle

Local writer Tuns producing two double size stompers next to Beresford Lane (Newcastle's equivalent of Melbourne's Hosier lane). Simple yet effective the large throw-ups sit opposite the prominent Newcastle Interchange. 

 

Pam the bird

Pam the bird has acquired a larger than life status on the streets and rooftops across Melbourne. Appearing recently on The Project, Pam offers an anything is possible attitude. By painting unimaginable locations across Melbourne Pam has earnt respect traversing the graffiti sub-culture into the mainstream psyche. It must be mentioned there are many graffiti writers across Melbourne that have gained similar status for their achievements. Obviously those include but are not limited to writers Pork, Nost, Jetso/Peezor, Uzi, Heef, Gettinup, Golfa, RIP Sinch etc. 

The below photo shows Bradmill in Yarraville one of the last relics of the former working class suburb. As the traffic travels across the west gate bridge, city bound you are greeted at eye level with the graffiti saturated Bradmill. A former cotton textile factory that once operating from 1927 until its closure in 2006. This site has attracted visitors from far and wide to witness and paint one of the most notorious of Melbourne's abandoned buildings. *More on this in a later post. The best roof-top spots already taken, Pam shows respect by finding a new space amongst the clutter, capturing the roof. The competition to claim bigger, bolder and more outrageous spots is a long running story in the Melbourne graffiti scene. 70K graffiti crew from late 90's were likely the first to set the high bar for hard to reach locations (see below when Renks and Stan tagged every window of an abando in the CBD). They were prolific and painted heaven pieces higher than anyone else. Since then many artists have followed with people like Nost and Pork more recently bombing and piecing high-profile spots never painted before. The story continues, whilst Pam was caught, before long the next graffiti artist will emerge. Whilst a number of people have walked to the west-gate Pam is really one of the few that climbed it and left a mark despite every obstacle possible. Special mention to Uzi for his buffed tag is still legible on the middle pylon. Often just a simple outline the innocent bird appears across the city reaching new heights and flying free.  

 

 

Brisbane-below ground

After a conversation at Cold Crush we found out there's only one legal graffiti wall in Brisbane. A tough ask in a city that wants paint and people don't appreciate it. Down in the secluded corners of  the drain in Brisbane a couple of young writers paint in safety "its not worth the risk painting the streets." Brisbane's taken a hard-line stance on graffiti. Where the art flourishes in the laneways of Melbourne and even Hobart, Brisbane's culture is different. Freeways are rarely painted, here graffiti is replaced by bland landscape murals that sit as street art defence mechanism. But go below ground and with space time and imagination artwork flourishes. Nearby the legal wall another drain, painted wall to wall top to bottom. Piecing in peace, few people venture this far making it a safer place. Back at the legal wall a council worker pulls up armed with a tablet for a database and roller to buff paint that latest tag. That's the no tolerance approach to the surrounding walls in a city that tries to keep a lid on it despite it bursting at the seams.  

 

Bryon Bay & surrounds

One of the best pieces I've seen this year. The incorporation of  bold bright colours with the faded fills of a writers hurdle to gain access-the fence 

The water tank at Bryon, more to come from here, watch this space