Moree looks set to become the art capital of the north west region after a raft of new and colourful murals were painted across town.
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World-renowned mural artists Charles and Janine Williams put their artistic stamp on places like Top Camp and the corner of Gosport and Alice streets.
“These are two of the most highly-respected and talented urban artists in the southern hemisphere,” Oi YOU! creative director George Shaw said.
Oi YOU! took on the famous artists after Beyond Empathy approached the street-art organisation.
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“Beyond Empathy are the driving force behind these projects. They’re the ones who do the fundraising and get these projects up and running,” Mr Shaw said.
The organisation takes on reputable mural artists as they host festivals across Australia, New Zealand and France. Their portfolio includes a stint at Cockatoo Island, Adelaide and Christchurch.
“Oi YOU! held the “Rise” festival at Canterbury Museum after the earthquakes at Christchurch [in 2014]. Around 248,000 people turned up to see it,” Mr Shaw said.
While Oi YOU! has received international praise, the art organisation also takes on smaller projects.
“Oi YOU! works to make the world a better looking place through the art works,” Mr Shaw said.
Oi YOU! has worked on a score of projects in Moree in the past including Arunga Park, Sullivans place and a mural opposite Moree East Public School. The organisation works with local artists and collaborates with the community on design.
Oi YOU!’s most recent visit to Moree last week, saw Charles and Janine Williams pay a visit to town. The pair are the masterminds behind this year’s NAIDOC Week march banner and the newly-painted fence at Wilgar, south Moree.
Arguably their most noticeable addition is adjacent to the busy Moree bypass. A large mural sits on the corner of Gosport and Alice Streets and depicts Brolgas birds frolicking alongside silhouettes of dancers against a green backdrop.
Mr Shaw noted the artworks were a big hit in town and were popular among the young people
“If you go around Moree, you’ll notice none of the artworks have been tagged. It’s heartwarming to see they have garnered so much praise,” Mr Shaw said.
Brisbane mural artist returns
Brisbane mural-artist James Ellis returned to Moree last week to give the Moree Race Club a colourful makeover.
Positive community feedback for his larger-than-life-sized mural of a farmer and his calf saw Mr Ellis return to town in May.
This time around, Mr Ellis has tackled his largest project in Moree.
The more-than 100 metre long wall at the Moree Race Club along Bogabilla Road has been transformed from its naked-brick look to a colourful horse racing panorama.
Glamorously-dressed race-goers watch on as jockeys race their horses for first-place.
Mr Ellis explained it was the longest he’s spent painting a mural in Moree.
“I put the first coat of paint on the wall about a month ago, then came back to Moree last week and spent all that time painting. It’s because the work is much smaller height wise and there’s a lot more detail to the mural.”
While Mr Ellis has fielded more projects for the future, he said he would be taking a little break.
“The weather’s too cold to paint. I’ll go back to Brisbane and come back when the temperature warms up again.”
What the mural renaissance means for Moree?
Moree Tourism CEO Tammy Elbourne has heaped praise on the mural artists and said the colourful additions will only serve to boost tourism numbers.
“It’s a wonderful addition to the cultural portfolio of Moree,” she said.
“The content of what’s being designed and portrayed makes the community really proud. It explores the cross section of agriculture, the characters of Moree and the heritage of the town, which is quite significant to our community.”
Ms Elbourne mentioned the growing interest from tourists and locals has led to Moree Tourism to expand their services.
“Staff are looking to revamp the art trail and include murals with the cultural art precincts. We want to encourage people to meander through the community, see the murals and learn what they mean and the stories behind the designs. It’s a wonderful opportunity for visitors to come and experience Moree.”
Ms Elbourne mentioned the tour would be up and running sometime in the near future.