Temporary Public Art

GALLERY ANNEXE WALL COMMISSION

The Gallery Annexe Wall is an annual competitive temporary public art activation. The Wall, featured next door to the Art Gallery of Ballarat and situated in Alfred Deakin Place, is a site where established public artists and emerging have a chance to respond to site specific messaging. Local artist, Joel Hammonds has completed the latest eye-catching mural in Ballarat’s public art collection.  The striking black, pink, purple and blue mural can be seen at the Annexe Wall in Alfred Deakin Place, right near the Ballarat Art Gallery.  

The mural is a nod to Ballarat’s live music scene, as well as the acclaimed Medieval to Metal exhibition currently on show at the Ballarat Art Gallery.  The mural includes reference to stickers from Ballarat’s live music venues on Joel’s own guitar, the brick backgrounds from the live music venue Volta, Civic Hall signage and profiling the young local artist, Otrera.

“The inspiration for the colours of my mural came from lighting in smaller live music venues across Ballarat, and the live music shots all come from my own band”, Joel said. “My goal for this piece is to create a collection of visual cues that can take the viewer back to a moment where music has etched itself into their lives - great nights out, celebrations, shared experiences that create lifelong connections. I want people to notice something new every time they walk past, building on the connection and the experience.” 

arts incubator mural

A 22 metre wide by 14 metre high wall in the city CBD has been transformed with a mutli-coloured set of local stories which celebrate the City of Ballarat’s complex history. The Arts Incubator mural tells a tale of strength, resilience and the blending of many people over time on Ballarat land and waterways. At its heart is the image of the wedge tailed eagle, endemic to the surrounds of the region. The counterpart, representing intelligence, is the native raven that complements the power of the eagle. These animals are important symbols to the Wadawurrung people, the traditional custodians of the land, air and waterways of Ballarat and surrounds. The artists worked closely in consultation with First Nations traditional custodians discussing the best ways to integrate the power of these images with other important landmarks for those who love and call Ballarat their home.  

The images of water are a connection to the network of local lakes, creeks and rivers while also acknowledging the nostalgia of the YMCA pool which used to sit at the site. Looking closely at the imagery captured throughout the mural, Ballarat residents will see their history and their everyday reflected – from the Arch of Victoria to Lal Lal Falls. Hidden elements towards the bottom of the mural are a rich treasure hunt for local stories, icons and locations.

This large-scale mural is part of the City of Ballarat’s public art program which invests in sensitive and appropriate temporary and permanent public art and is responsible for the creative activation of public space. The Arts Incubator Mural has been funded by the City of Ballarat and the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership.

bakery hill mural

A vibrant geometric mural has been completed on the prominent wall at Little Bridge Street and Main Road intersections, by local artist Spencer Harrison. 

Spencer Harrison is a Ballarat based, visual artist whose work distils colour, form and space into ordered abstract structures that reflect on our lived urban experience. His visual language draws on the world around us, referencing design, architecture, science and the built environment. Within his works, Harrison explores tensions between minimalism and maximalism, order and chaos, contemplating the role these forces play in the modern world. Spencer has a Masters of Contemporary Art from the Victorian College of the Arts and is a board member of Ballarat Evolve.

Spencer has spent over 100 hours over two weeks painting the 30 metres long wall. Titled Our Jessica for Luck, 2023, his mural responds to the story of the original building – Stone’s, a fashion house in the 1960s. Spencer’s palette is a nod to the colours that would have been worn in that decade and carried inside the store and the pattern was a reference to the geometric grid structure that was part of Stone’s façade. Through his selection of colours and the treatment of the surface, Spencer has created optical effects that simulate the transparency and sheen of light on fabric.  A splendid example of contemporising heritage, Spencer uses his signature treatment of design to apply a new lens to the history of that place. 

the empty plinth project

In September 2024, the City of Ballarat celebrated the opening of Ballarat’s first Intercultural Garden at the intersection of Sturt and Pleasant Streets, near City Oval. This garden is a place where people from all walks of life can come together to connect, share stories and celebrate important times within the communities, such as Christmas, Diwali, Ramadan, NAIDOC week, Lunar New Year among many others. The design of the garden followed community consultation in 2023 and now includes:

• A circular display garden and other plantings

• Community flagpole

• Picnic shelter and park furniture

• An Empty Plinth

• Connecting paths

• Drinking fountain supplied by Central Highlands Water

• Electrical and water connections to assist holding events

In designing the plans for the garden, the City of Ballarat has worked closely with the Intercultural Advisory Committee and PLOT Landscape Architects.The Empty Plinth is purpose-built to exhibit temporary sculptural works. To respond to the changing narratives of the Ballarat community, this plinth will host a new 3D artwork every year.