For decades, graffiti was seen as a sign of urban decay. It communicated an air of menace, even hinted at a threat of crime.
And it signalled to any disorientated tourist that this was probably not an area to hang around in!
How times have changed.
Now, instead of fleeing a graffiti-covered hellscape, grey nomads are flocking to areas to marvel at the newly-rebranded ‘street art’.
More and more towns and cities are encouraging blank walls and buildings to be painted; street art festivals are proving a major drawcard for travellers; and, of course, silo art has become stratospherically popular.
Colourful artwork helps transform Darwin into an outdoor gallery. PIC: Charlie Bliss for DSAF
Urban geographer, Dr Cameron McAuliffe, has been leading Western Sydney University research into this perception evolution … and is glad to see rural communities recognise the opportunities offered by street art.
“The decline in more ‘traditional’ economies in some towns has led to pursuit of these kinds of creative solutions,” he told the Grey Nomads. “I think the Silo Art Trail is a great example.”
The Darwin Street Art Festival is now a huge drawcard for grey nomads. PIC: Charlie Bliss for DSAF
And the academic says it is no surprise to see so many grey nomads seeking out street art as they travel. “It’s a perfect match,” he said. “The juxtaposition of huge murals in the Australian rural and regional landscape is, quite frankly, fantastic. … and, for industrial communities, like Port Kembla or Port Adelaide, looking to rethink their future, it’s a great fit.”
Dr McAuliffe said the graffiti subculture grew up on the walls of empty industrial buildings in major American cities at the end of the long postwar boom and says these same macro-economic forces continue to shape our cities and regional centres.
“In many ways, this is the right place for street art in the present,” he said. “And it’s great to see so much interest from grey nomads! Long may it last.”
One of the biggest of the many street art festivals in Australia is the Darwin Street Art Festival (DSAF), taking place from May 24-June 15 this year … and it’s got some serious pulling power.
“Grey nomads are a large section of our audience and we love seeing visitors out and about wandering the streets, stopping into local businesses, and taking it all in,” DSAF Director, David Collins, told the Grey Nomads. “I always stop and chat to people admiring the art, and many people tell me they wouldn’t have come through Darwin if it wasn’t for the Street Art Festival.”
Mr Collins said the vision was always to create a huge, accessible outdoor gallery – and says you can now barely turn a corner in Darwin now without seeing art.
But is there a negative to this ongoing ‘gentrification’ of graffiti?
Dr McAuliffe says there are now artists who are turning back to what they see as more ‘authentic’ graffiti practice.
“It’s not uncommon now to see street art murals by street artists being tagged by a new generation of writers,” he said. “So, when a council commissions a street art mural, in a rather ironic twist, they often consider whether they’ll place a protective ‘anti-graffiti’ coating over the top to protect it!”
Nonetheless, Dr McAuliffe says the slide of graffiti into commercialised popular culture, has had the effect of depoliticising graffiti and street art.
“Just like in other arts practices, graffiti has not remained static, it has developed into different forms in different places, and broadened its place in our culture,” he said. “It may be a shame that it has changed … but doesn’t everything?
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I believe graffiti and street art are poles apart. The mural artists are talented and most of their paintings/drawings are pleasing to the eye. They tend to be an asset rather than an eyesore.
I would much rather look at street art and murals than anything Picasso ever painted.
Just my opinion.
Robert
It would probably attract the retirees that travel around looking at painted silos.
Aka, the people with no other interests in life.
Personally we’ve got better things to do.