Council brings second international street artist to CBD
Date published: 19 June 2017
The walls of a Sturt St building will get a new lease on life thanks to the creative flair of internationally-renowned street artist Tellas.
Tellas, an Italian artist whose work is based on the abstraction and synthesis of natural elements, is the second international artist commissioned by Townsville City Council to liven up CBD buildings.
The first was Belgian artist ROA who painted a number of murals in the city in 2015.
The new mural at Federation Place will be Tellas’s second mural in Australia – the first was painted in Perth.
Titled The Barrier, the mural encourages the viewer to get lost in the landscape, a tribute to the Great Barrier Reef – one of the most powerful beauties of the world.
Community and Cultural Development Committee chair Cr Colleen Doyle said council was committed to showcasing the best local, national and international talent.
“We have a fantastic mix of artworks from across the region, the country and the world turning our CBD into a colourful and visually interesting destination that is fast gaining a very positive name in street art circles,” Cr Doyle said.
“We’ve just seen the completion of a mural by Brisbane artist Leans in Ogden St and prior to that two artists from Townsville’s RUN Collective finished a fantastic piece on the side wall of the same building.
“We’re working hard to get a great mix of artists who bring their creativity and imagination to life on walls that would otherwise be very dull.”
The mural will be launched on Friday, June 23 from 5-7pm. The public is welcome to attend.
While in Townsville, Tellas will also hold some workshops with local youth, which the public are invited to attend. This will be held at Murray Skate Park in Annandale on Wednesday, June 21 from 4-6pm.
