Bondi Beach Sea Wall in Search of Creative Beasts

By Madeleine Gray on September 7, 2016 in News

Attention all Beasts. Are you a visual artist, super handy with a biro, a conceptual artist, a graphic designer, a curator, or just keen to let your inner Frida Kahlo run free? Your time has come.

Think of the most iconic beach in the world (it’s Bondi, by the way). Now think of your mad street art featuring up on the promenade wall, being admired by the tens of thousands of visitors that the beach attracts each year.

Thanks to the folks at Waverley Council, this vision is not just a pipe dream. You could have your art displayed on what a Council spokesperson deemed “the primest of prime beach frontages”.

Waverley Council recently announced an international call-out for artworks for the Bondi Beach Sea Wall. Potential super-artists are invited to pitch their goods and ideas by October 31 for the chance to secure a six-month slot for their work in 2017. Panels range from four to eight metres wide – just big enough for you to realise your dreams.

The Bondi Beach Sea Wall first had its pristine surfaces painted with aerosol cans back in the 1960s, and since then it’s remained a place for rebellious youths and street artists to paint their minds for the world to see. There are only two permanent fixtures on the wall: a memorial to local girl Chloe Byron, who was killed in the Bali bombings, and an ANZAC commemorative mural. The rest of the panels are repainted every six months.

Waverley Council said it remains dedicated to ensuring the continuation of this turnover, so as to “maintain the wall’s dynamic character, and to achieve diversity”.

Previous artists featured on the wall include Bondi Markets regular Joel Moore, a.k.a. Mulga, who specialises in psychedelic, intricate line works that he says “transcendently float with emotion”, and local gal Taiya Bukovsky, a.k.a. AWOLCREATIONS, who paints gorgeous, ornate, organic shape repetitions.

According to Mulga, getting his artwork featured was a relatively simple process.

“The experience was easy peasy,” he said. “I just filled in the application and then they let me know which section to paint and I painted it.”

Mulga also emphasised that the exposure he has gained by having his work on the wall has been incredibly beneficial to his career.

“All day, everyday, there are people walking past, whether they be tourists sightseeing or locals exercising or going about their day,” he said.

“A lot of eyeballs see it and that is rad. Having art down on the beach has helped me to get exposure, commissions and more opportunities for sure.

“Plus, when it’s a hot day and you’re painting you can run down and jump in the water and go for a swim.

“There aren’t a lot of painting spots where you can do that!”

So what are you waiting for? International kudos awaits. To apply for a space on the Bondi Beach Sea Wall, visit waverley.nsw.gov.au/art.