Kurri Kurri nsw

Kurri Kurri is a tidy town (they have awards to prove it) about 40 minutes west of Newcastle.

Image, right: The old “Store” building. 

Under our “Ambiance” department I’ve added a page dedicated to Kurri. You see, the place is awash with street art.

Yep, this little village of 6000 people share and enjoy more public art than the entire City of Newcastle which - last time I looked - had around 150,000 scribblers available.

Each time I return to gather a few murals missed on the last visit, more have appeared. So the collection is not complete, and may never be!

For example, still to be added: The Maypole, Wedding, Bachelor and Working Underground, clustered around the pub, corner Lang & Victoria St.

Out of town I’m missing Heddon Greta Speedway, Abermain Newsagent, Spotters Tower (Abermain), Masonic (Weston) and Early Life (Pelaw Main public school).

Image: Kids wander past the Workers’ Club mural depicting World War 1

Oh, and the bowling club, which is a bit hard to get a good shot of.

If anyone might kindly supply GJMan with copies he would be overly grateful. Preferably not from your mobile phone, unless it’s super quality.

Email to gjman at graffitijunction dot com (make a real address of that; email harvesting robots, you know).

There’s little more to say here. This is just a pointer to the permanent page: Kurri Kurri, the Illustrated Town.

GraffitiJunction’s archives overflow with unpublished images of Newcastle’s fabulous wall art lovingly gathered in the last 5 years.

GJMan’s main lesson has been that maintaining websites overwhelms actually creating content.

Adopting Milo317’s beautiful WordPress theme to replace archaic "static html" website layout enables our wealth of images to finally grace these pages.

Should you stumble here in October 2008, at the height of TINA (This Is Not Art) you will find GJMan scrambling desperately to migrate the old site to this new one. Please forgive rough edges, gaps, and broken links.

Hey, just like real wall art :0)

Newcastle is awash with visitors from around the country and the world, attending TINA - comprising Electrofringe, NYWF (young writers), Sound Summit, Critical Animals -  AND Newcastle’s Mattara Festival AND the annual King Edward Park Hill Climb (carz!).

Yep, you see, the city is abuzz with even MORE than Australia’s largest and most diverse annual media and arts festival. There’s a great atmosphere around town which is teeming with bikes & backpacks. With each festival our little parochial playspace gains depth and sophistication.

Please visit us again next year.

It arrives as an email. Been circulating for a year now as a topical photoset of an unlikely scenario.

As interesting as the images are, one starts thinking that if this is an advertisement, who would allow it? What roads authority would allow not only advertising on the surface of their roadway, but one with potential to cause an accident (by a motorist breaking suddenly).

And the dude lifting/placing the image on the surface surely isn’t really on that road with 3 lanes of traffic in action.

So-called “Y&R Everest” agency couldn’t easily be found on the web except through the atrocious Rediffusion website.

All in all, a fascinating story so well concealed (by a marketing agency!) that I couldn’t satisfy myself exactly if this was a publicity stunt or a real ad campaign.

Only clues at our mates, Ads of the World.

Recent times find Newcastle city a year-round construction zone. While the heat is on Wharf Road and Honeysuckle, Hunter Street’s fabulous old facades are tumbling to developer’s whims.

Some have survived as aerosol and traditional art canvases, but many increasingly succumb to vandalism from the late night alcohol-fuelled pathetics, while other more significant structures have yielded to the even less subtle hands of developers.

A building frenzy of high-rise apartments drive the city’s skyline dramatically up - sadly terminating in square hulks of greyish and stainless, no more attractive than (and probably of similar fashion brevity to) this decade’s vehicular indulgence whose bulky bling  will soon fill used car yards as  a worse styling joke.

Significant demolition victims include the State Rail training rooms in May ‘05 and early 2008 the marvelous Palais Royale.

So, too, the S & W Miller facade gracing one corner of Hunter Street and Stewart Avenue seems inevitably to fall.

With a great story to offer,  far predating the long-expired electrical retailer’s brief glory, and though a relatively  unimpressive building,  it would be sad to see it go.

Such ornate fascia - for no aesthetic reason a thing of architectural past - add delightful texture to increasingly drab cityscape.

We shall miss its humble SINGLE LEVEL complement to the magnificent ex-brewery/museum.  One would have imagined this the perfect 7-day venue for Newcastle’s Paddys Market or China Town equivalent.

The building forms part of the former Newcastle Regional Museum site. In late 2007 Expressions of Interest were called for this site and a number of proposals were received.

Results of the EOI were reported to Council on 4 December 2007 and three proponent were asked to provide detailed proposals for consideration. The detailed proposals need to be submitted to Council officers by the end of February and then a report will be prepared for Council’s consideration.
[ Newcastle City Council report ]

"Expressions of interest" range from 3-storey mixed-use residential to a not-for-profit housing trust with shared equity ownership. Considering workers lucky to be grossing a $grand a week have a snowball’s of even  half-way financing themselves into the plethora of half-$mill.  condos crowding out the city’s scenic edge, to have 50 poor families with inner city digs is some meager advance.

Millers buildings, btw, includes a majestic restored commercial premises over the road displaying a 45 yo commercial rendition of the Admiral (no-name) who inspired branding of some sixties vacuum tube tele.

As a billboard Millers has a  history back to 2002 when Fiona Whitton and Saul Standerwick led a group of Youth Venue artists on an original work (I believe; correct me).

We find in April 2008  the most recent effort unmistakably and artistically promoting a certain website.

Well, the lawmakers have our best interests at heart (sometimes, coincidentally) but as usual the shotgun approach to our legal patchwork quilt inconveniences only we, the ‘victims,’ while the ‘crooks’ carry on merrily.

Gun control laws are a great example. We all know criminals do not register their guns. Nor to graffiti vandals buy their spray cans. Some appear to be fond, recently, of large marker pens, or similar. What now? Put the Textas on newsagents’ shelves 2m above the floor?

Mindless scribbling has increased in the past year since these miracle laws made buying spray cans yet another of life’s little irritations.

Thanks for nothing, panic legislators.

From the Popular Scientific Monthly of October 1915 one Dr. Chas Davenport reports on “Aboriginal Rock-Stencillings of New South Wales”

IN a number of places in eastern Australia curious aboriginal markings are found on the faces of the sandstone cliffs.

A good idea of them is given by the photographs. These came from Wolgan Gap near Wallerang in the Blue Mountain region of New South Wales. They are found on overhanging rocks that have served as  helters or camping places for the aborigines and which doubtless have protected their works of art.

These stencillings are made by a sort of spatter work, something like that in vogue a generation ago in this country (USA), using leaves, etc., as forms.

Photo Left:
Wolgan Gap stencilling by Australian Aboriginal artists.

Extract of original image courtesy Allan Watson.

Visit Allan’s delightful Newnes Information website

 

The rocks at Wolgan Gap are a coarse sandstone stained almost black by an iron oxide derived from included bands of ironstone. These black surfaces were selected by the artists. Nearby in the rock is a band of shale which had disintegrated at its exposed edge to a white powder.

The native artist put some of this white powder in his mouth, placed his hand or foot upon the rock, and blew the moistened powder upon and around his outstretched fingers or toes. When he removed them they were outlined on the rock.

Since the sandstone is coarse and deeply pitted, the moist powder was blown into minute cavities where it has remained despite the erosive activities of some generations. The presence of the powder is shown on the photographs as a sort of halo around the object. The hands are either right or left, and, in some cases, both hands seem to have been stencilled at once. Sometimes the whole arm and hand are stencilled together, and in one of the photographs a boomerang is shown.

The age of these stencils is not known. They were first discovered at Wolgan Gap about sixty years ago (wrt 1915), but others have been known for a longer time, for instance, those at Greenwich, Paramatta River, near Sydney.

The significance of these stencillings has been the subject of some controversy. The natives may have been induced to make them as boys carve their names on benches or even rocks. The materials for making the stencillings were present and, the example once having been set, others would emulate it.

It is interesting that similar stencillings of the hands were made by cave men on the walls of some of the European caves, as, for instance, those of Aurignac in southern France.

Evidently spatter work is no modern pastime.

Oh, yes, umm, evidently stencilling is no modern pastime - still.

Relax, we’re talking Rhode Island, New York. Just tracking crimes in other climes.

Vandals who graffiti on houses and businesses face new penalties under a law approved during the recent General Assembly session. The legislation became law without the governor’s signature on July 7.

Under the law, anyone caught defacing property, public or private, could be fined up to $500 for the first offense and be sentenced with up to 100 hours of community service.

A second offense could bring a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 200 hours of community service.

.. The Providence Journal www.projo.com -July 2007

Now remember, these are US dollars which soon will equate to pesos, so not too severe, eh?

The thing about penalties is, as usual, they do not deter or reduce crime. Catching and locking away the worst offenders helps, and makes us feel safer.

But few malicious scribblers, taggers, defacers, or vandals, will ever be caught, let alone be seen at work.

Council class ’sparked graffiti spree’

And so the headlines went, especially in stories following the AAP (Australian Associated Press) line, in their dutifully repeated sources around the country. You know, smaller affairs who just couldn’t afford to send a reporter, like News.com.au and the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

Editor to staff: "What’s a good angle? Cheap shot, naturally. Stick it up the council who taught these losers how to destroy property. "

In case you missed it:

Two New South Wales youths involved in a tagging vandalism spree in Melbourne’s train yards got interested in graffiti through council youth art programs, a court was told today. The vandals posed as workers for the Connex suburban rail network by wearing reflective vests as they tagged several trains.

Yep. We’re all aware of research proving 100% correlation between drinking mother’s milk and graduating to hard drugs.

This video was posted September 2006 and - if posted by SHUREfilms - tracking by IP is unlikely, as those dudes are certain to anonymise uploads.

Click image to see the video on Youtube 
* If you CANNOT see an image, upgrade to the Latest Flash Player here.

A lawyer for one of the accused [a 22-year-old from Cardiff, a 21-year-old from Hamilton, and an 18-year-old from Tamworth] told the court his client"was interested in graffiti as art and had painted murals voluntarily for his local council.

He first got into it when the council set up a legal wall where young people could go." His client, he said, was in "extraordinary shock" after having spent a night in jail.

Another said his client also had been involved in creating murals for Newcastle Council and had taken part in a program where he discouraged other young people from illegal graffiti. "In a sense, these offences are connected very much with youth … a sense of art or a sense of adventure."

The third said his client had found his night in jail "terrifying."

YouTube video traps rail vandals

News this same week, three Wollongong men were arrested after they (it seems) posted video of their alleged graffiti rampage on YouTube.

Police raided three homes in Wollongong, later charging the men for graffiti and vandalism. It is alleged they spray-painted trains and vandalised private property in Wollongong and Sydney’s south, but were traced after uploading the video. Damage bill of over $100,000 is said to include smashing windows and numerous graffiti raids, which explains the attention they received leading to arrest.

So, how were they traced from an uploaded video? From the quality of an average Youtube clip it wouldn’t seem possible. One can only assume a tip off.

Search YouTube for "train graffiti" turns up over a thousand clips. This is an international sport for kids (and others?) who, sadly, are legends simply in their own lunchtime.

Where are the rail staff?

All very well. They aren’t artists, they’re a sub-culture involving thrills and challenges - skilled painters or not. What GJMan want to know is, from viewing the video, WHERE are the station employees???

I recall as a kid half a dozen station staff on every average suburban station. This place is deserted. An unattended train at an unattended station? Why?

The NSW State Transport minister added this: "Vandalism to trains costs taxpayers $15 million a year and is a cause of lengthy train delays.

"Graffiti is not art, it’s a crime, and it’s causing a lot of damage to our … trains."

Most news services then trotted out the standard government PR summation saying how much graffiti vandalism costs each year and mentioned the new legislation making spray cans so hard to buy they might become extinct.

Dang, can’t blame the kids for this

Meanwhile, in news of far lesser importance, because it only threatens passengers safety and drives them from using public transport - but mainly as there is no easy scapegoat -

RAILCORP apologised to commuters forced to travel long distances without toilets, elderly passengers embarrassed by incontinence, or pregnant women vomiting in the isles, but warned the problem would not be fixed until midyear. No problemo - trains will stop at stations while the bursting bladders scramble for station loos.

CityRail faced criticism for overcrowding caused by a new timetable, which reduced and slowed services

Train safety came under close scrutiny after the doors of a packed Tangara opened at speed as people leaned against them

The Government announced the next steps in its plan to untangle the railway lines with two more Rail Clearways projects

In Melbourne, the graffiti news was prominent, while the big issue rated second, of course: "Their (graffitiists) efforts caused about $10,000 damage to a Connex Siemens train at the Newport rail yard. Connex has had to withdraw almost half of its 72 Siemens trains from service in recent weeks, after a series of unexplained brake failures."

One can imagine the bill for THAT, compared to cleaning some paint.

And, like, which one bothers you the most?

Mostly photographing, but little publishing for past three years!!

New year’s resolution - publish my graffiti photograph collection!

Since recording of Newcastle street art began in February 2004 many amazing venues have not only changed, been cleared, or renovated - but some buildings inexplicably (to the passing, uninformed parade) just simply disappear.

Palais Royale (left) has its backside hanging out [ of photo].

Meanwhile State Rail’s old training HQ went totally missing, taking its delightful mural to the grave. Two years later - no phoenix, just this mess (at right).

Perennial favourites persist, however:

* Newcastle South Beach - breathtaking, and from riotous bedlam to City Council ultimatum: behave or lose it.
* S&W Miller - bill posters run out of town, almost. Late ‘06 - new work, sadly lacking detail. Maybe city council controlled. "Keep it simple"?
* Mayfield, Webb Park. An evergreen venue of fine work lasting about a year.
* Art students holed up in derelict opposite the art college spread their efforts over every square inch, inside and out.

And several others with a less permanent feel about them. More later.

Placing a coin on a railway track - fined $5500? Hang on, I think that’s a manhole cover!

As kids we’d stand on rail overheads and lob bricks into steamer funnels. I know, I know, it made nervous wrecks of the poor ole’ engineers.

The point being? It’s not that stupidity is fun, but the cheaper fine in the State Rail brochure is tied to life-endangering stupidity  while the higher penalty, $7700, applies to merely ‘defacing’ an ugly rattler with a gorgeous mural?

Where’s the sense of proportion??

And talk about anal.

Rail defacing is at least forty years old (probably 140 years).

I think the image at left, taken in 1941, shows train graffiti we could surely forgive, considering ..

Isn’t it time the authorities commissioned quality art  and paid off the cleaning squads and private wallopers?