Mural on O’Grady Place, RMIT Campus (2022)

What’s it all about?

Ideas:

The ideas for the work come from my own experiences as a vocational student with RMIT. My practice has revolved mainly around hands as representations of the self. Hands are intrinsically tied to vocational education, as well. Rather than focusing solely on theory, I was drawn to VE studies for their emphasis on practical skill-building and learning-by-doing. The hands in the mural engage in manual tasks related to vocational education, in addition to embracing one another in various ways. 

The mural’s use of dots relates to another building nearby, Building 95. This is where I first learned screen printing, and I would often stand in O’Grady Place waiting for my exposed screens to dry in the sun. By using a cardboard stencil, I replicated the classic Roy Lichtenstein-esque Ben-Day dots of screen printing as an homage to the work that happens around the corner.

Finally, I appreciated the push from my teachers to work both in figuration, which I’m most comfortable with, and abstract art. The work therefore represents both sides of contemporary visual art, alongside the principles of vocational education and the College. 

Inspiration: 

Aesthetically-speaking, the work is inspired by artists such as Keith Haring and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as contemporary practitioners such as Alex Katz and Wayne White. 

The conceptual inspiration comes from several of RMIT’s core values. Firstly, it is crucial that all RMIT students feel represented by the work. The proposed mural is therefore an inclusive work, featuring colourful hands that work and interact with no clear ethnicity or gender identity. Furthermore, the mural features hands in the act of shaking or hand-holding, acts which are emblematic symbols of reconciliation, and a clear nod to RMIT’s commitment to this idea. 

Sustainability is also a key consideration in the work. It was created using environmentally-friendly exterior paint from ecolour, whose products are durable enough for outdoor use but with zero VOCs. 

However, the most important ideal of the work is mental health. My practice deals with my anxiety and my own mental health struggles, specifically around physical compulsions of touch. The mural would therefore not only provide positive imagery in a public location, improving public wellbeing, but would also act as a support for others who are affected by similar conditions.