Street Art Trail gains immersive new piece
Date published: 7 September 2022
Townsville’s nationally-renowned Street Art Trail has gained another show-stopping piece of public art with artist 815K1’s new work Prismatic.
The new work wraps the interior and exterior walls of an unused building in the Aplin Street Road Reserve, encouraging locals and visitors following the Street Art Trail to explore more of Townsville’s city centre.
Artist 815K1 said their artwork “creates a connection between people and places”.
“This connection attracts an audience, brings communities and businesses together and raises the profile of the space. The transformation of the space is key to forming a connection within the community,” they said.
Council Community and Cultural Development Committee chairperson Ann-Maree Greaney said Prismatic was the latest in a long-running collection of celebrated art pieces across Townsville’s city centre.
“We value inclusive art practices at Council, which is why we continue to invest in world-class street art pieces from local, national and international artists,” Cr Greaney said.
“Having such a unique Street Art Trail is a huge drawcard for tourism in Townsville, as well as a way to bring locals into the city centre and to activate this space.
“I’m always pleased to see new art added to the trail and I know members of the public are going to enjoy Prismatic as much as I have.”
Dr Tony Matthews from Griffith University’s School of Engineering & Built Environment and the Cities Research Institute has been studying the impact of public art and its use as a place-making device to drive urban regeneration and boost social capital in places like Townsville, Gold Coast and Toowoomba.
“In Townsville, we focused on the CBD and night-time entertainment district where we identified 26 murals on exterior building walls featuring a range of figurative and abstract styles, vivid colours and a mix of painting styles,” Dr Matthews said.
“Public artworks can indeed help a regional city with its core identity, and, if the right balance is achieved, can greatly assist with creative placemaking and urban renewal.
“Quality public art programs, incorporating the preferences of producers and users, can reflect the confidence and aspirations of cities, as they look to the future while respecting their people and histories.”
For more information about Townsville’s Street Art Trail, visit Street Art.
