Keith Haring Mural’s future…
So I went down to the meeting about the future of the Keith Haring Mural here in Collingwood- it was great to hear about the history of the mural.
We were also told there is no 100% certain way to preserve it, due to the nature of it being outdoors. No matter what we do it will one day be gone unless it is repainted. But we were also shown some of the close ups of the other sites that had been repainted and they have done a pretty shit job of it. If it was my call I would send someone like Sync or Phibs to repaint it. Someone who knows how to natrauly flow line work like Keith onto a wall.
There was also discussion that it is the last standing outdoor Keith Haring artwork that hasn’t been repainted, but supposedly Keith said on the wall “…do what you want, let it fade or repaint it. Just get any sign writer to do it” There was much talk about preserving the ‘artist hand’ in the work but to be bluntly honest it is a pretty simple technique. I do believe if you found a good sign writer they could bang it out no worries.
Another interesting suggestion was to paint a replica near by and just preserve the original in it’s current state.
The most Confusing part about the whole thing was that even if there was a decision made there didn’t really seam to be anybody to action it. The buildings current owner isn’t interested in the mural but more with selling the property, so it would be a matter of negotiation with the new owner whenever that will be?
Apr 29, 2010
I was living a few doors down when Keith visited - he did a few installations, including a few clubs, and they are all gone. It’s become apparent that they have all gone/deteriorated, like most OS sites, and this is a very rare opportunity to add to Melbourne’s very rich artistic history.
It is unacceptable that this should be destroyed - there are so few original sites left around the world - GET ONTO IT!
VOTE KEITH!
Banksy stencils a rat in Flinders Lane and it gets a protective perspex sheet covering it, within a year.
Keith Haring paints a wall in Collingwood, it sits there for 26 years and fades away…
Why wasn’t anything done about the Haring being protected?
It might be because Haring is classified as a “Graffiti Artist” and Melbourne’s general public has always hated graffiti.
When Keith Haring painted the NGV’s water wall, the fact was Melbourne didn’t even know who he was,
most of the public hated it and i remember seeing the news at the time and some guy saying his kids could do better.
The Collingwood wall should have been protected at least 10 years ago!!
Now we’re re-living the 80’s and it has some cool factor, people want to know about it.
Personally I think If you don’t respect art, you don’t deserve it!!
GET WITH IT!
Your right Merda, the irony of the situation is bloody pathetic.
add a protective coat to preserve the original work, then repaint it over the top.
Was’bt it painted with a brush. ?
In its true nature, street art is not meant to last for ever. maybe we should just let it fade?
I saw a Haring mural in a New York city school’s outdoor swimming pool last year and it looked fantastic. It must have been repainted, but it was amazing how much life it gave to a potentially gloomy shadowy place.
I think we should preserve the best of our street art, by repainting it if/when necessary. Think of it as like Aboriginal rock paintings - they are repainted at intervals because they are part of a living tradition. Or certain Japanese wooden temples: the temple is “800 years old” however it is completely rebuilt with new materials to the same design every 60 years or so as the wood doesn’t last. Again, a living tradition.
Street art of all kinds is a living tradition. We’ll always lose some treasures (just as with other art forms) but we can at least try to keep what we think is the best for the future.
It is amazing that Melbourne City can let this piece of Art just fade into the grey walls-I wish I had seen before it was attacked by pollution,it surprises me that a City with ACCA,CCP etc cannot preserve this wall Art before it disappears!
how do I get intouch with people helping to save the mural