Page 4355 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 8 December 1993
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Mr Connolly: Not too many elderly people are out there with their spray cans.
MS SZUTY: Perhaps they have not become aware of the opportunities that might be available to them, Mr Connolly. Aerosol artists are people, usually young people, who express their artistic skills and who communicate to their peers through the medium of spray paint. There is a particular subculture that utilises stylised writing forms as part of its artistic language, and I have formed the opinion that some of my colleagues in this place find this work less than appealing to their own artistic tastes. May I point out that Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon and Blue Poles are also not universally appreciated, and that Michelangelo once adorned the walls of his favourite restaurant with a small charcoal sketch. Luckily he was famous, so the carabinieri were not summoned.
Madam Speaker, members may well ask what aerosol artists do when they go in search of a "canvas" for their next work of art. At present they can decide to operate outside the law and "bomb" buildings or other structures. These works are done hurriedly, usually in darkness, and young people are unable to take simple precautions such as avoiding the spray drift from the aerosol cans so that they are not breathing in toxic fumes. If, however, aerosol artists wish to do legal artworks, the process of gaining access to legal space can be a difficult one. One option is the Chief Minister's youth affairs unit, which funds some very innovative projects under the impact grants program. However, artists need also to identify and obtain permission to decorate their chosen space. Most obviously, this leads them to ACTION, as ACTION participates in a competition annually, enabling many school and community groups and individuals to be involved in painting and decorating bus-shelters. Unfortunately, to my mind, this activity results in too few bus-shelters being painted. I would prefer to see an annual painting competition involving all concrete bus-shelters able to be painted.
On a positive note, I was delighted on Monday to attend the presentation of awards and merit certificates for painting bus-shelters. I note the increasing participation in the competition by the Australian National Gallery, which for the benefit of people involved in the project now holds preliminary workshops before the shelters are painted. Other opportunities for painting that young people may see, however, include a number of community and privately owned buildings and facilities, underpasses, public toilet blocks, building walls, community halls and centres, including youth centres. However, these spaces are not easily accessible and require people finding their way through the Department of Urban Services and/or Community Services, and individually arguing their cases for the decoration of appropriate space.
I would also like to see the Arts and Special Events Unit of the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning involved in determining how and in what way public buildings and facilities might be decorated. The direct involvement of departmental officers with a background in the arts would, I am sure, make a useful contribution in determining the quality and style of the finished product. Fortunately, in some cases aerosol artists have been able to approach lessees of particular buildings who are happy for their premises to be decorated. I know of two artists who gained a commission to paint a local supermarket wall. However, they were especially dedicated and were probably lucky in finding lessees willing to participate in the project.
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