Public art

Beastman in front of his mural at Penshurst Park

Public art expresses the community’s unique attributes, culture, heritage and people and adds vibrancy to public spaces and landscapes. We want it to elevate the visual profile of the area’s places and provide insight into Georges River’s cultural life and community values.

During 2020/21 we completed six public art projects.

We commissioned Beastman (Bradley Eastman), a muralist with works all over the world, to paint a mural on the rear of the Norm O’Neill Cricket Training Facility. Inspired by the surrounding environment, Beastman’s artwork responds to the themes of competition utilising colours from the newly developed Penshurst Park playground.

“I wanted the artwork to have a sense of belonging in the park, not feel out of place… these large public murals almost force people to engage with the work, challenging them to work out the meaning…”

Indigenous artist Maddison Gibbs also created a mural in Post Office Lane, Kogarah. Growing up in Dubbo, and now living and working in Sydney, Maddison’s identity as a Barkindji woman is central to her art. She draws from her Aboriginal culture and her surroundings to tell stories of the past and present.

Working with our Aboriginal Reference Group, Maddison drew inspiration from Kogarah’s name, meaning ‘place of reeds’. The mural features a blend of fish and reeds that represent the use of the Georges River by the Biddegal people for more than 40,000 years.

“By telling the stories of the traditional uses of the river by local Aboriginal people we reclaim and celebrate the oldest living culture in the world and the land on which we stand Biddegal country.”

We installed two table tennis tables in Peakhurst Park and Pole Depot Park to provide an outlet for people facing lockdowns and restrictions. The tables were transformed into works of art by Keith Stanley (Heavy Mental Art), who created fun designs aimed at reconnecting the community.

“I want to use these graphics to inspire people to maintain a healthy lifestyle; partake in new and

Mural by Maddison Gibbs in Post Office Lane, Kogarah.

enjoyable hobbies, also stay connected with friends and family – the true meaning of being engaged in a community.”

Hurstville Library’s entrance also received a makeover, featuring the works of artist Abbey Rich. Working with a library story time group, Abbey spoke to little artists aged between three and five about what the library meant to them, incorporating their designs into the finished work. She also featured local native plants and colours from the Libraries 2030 Strategy.

“As an artist coming into someone else’s space it is my responsibility to be respectful, to create a relevant artwork to the local community, to share authorship and to facilitate the community sharing stories.”

Tennis table artwork by Keith Stanley