A striking monochromatic mural has been unveiled on a new residential apartment building in Fitzroy North, Melbourne. Created by renowned local First Nations artist Lisa Waup, the impressive mural is one of the largest pieces of public art in the City of Yarra, measuring a massive 376 square metres on the 14-storey building.
Fitzroy & Co. developed by Salta, is a new rental-only building that will open in the coming months. Painted on two sides of the building, the spectacular mural is visible to neighbouring suburbs in Melbourne’s inner-north.
Featuring Waup’s distinctive line work, the artwork, titled ‘Convergence’, celebrates First Nations storytelling while capturing the spirit and character of Fitzroy North, highlighting the building’s connection with its residents, the local community, and the area’s history.
Waup, who has exhibited in numerous national and international exhibitions, said the mural celebrates the relationships between people, Country and community.
“It was really important as part of this work to understand where the building lies and the space around it, and the artwork can act as a conduit to connect the natural to the urban,” Waup says.
“Convergence really embodies the idea of community, of coming together and thinking of Fitzroy & Co. as a residential place that has a gathering of people from all over.
“The circles represent family and community, while the lines represent connecting paths – not only people connecting within Fitzroy & Co. but also the idea that the building and ‘Convergence’ embrace the community around it too,” she says.
Waup’s mural is already receiving an overwhelmingly positive reaction from people.
Fitzroy & Co. is the first rental-only building offered to the market by Salta as part of its build-to-rent platform, Est., and will open in September.
Salta chief operating officer Emma Woodhouse said Est. embraced public artwork as a way of forging long-term relationships with residents and local communities.
“Art plays a crucial role in defining the spirit of a place, fostering community bonds and creating a shared identity. Through this incredible mural, Lisa has created a legacy piece for the area, and captured all the unique elements that make Melbourne’s inner north so dynamic and engaging.
“The brief was to create an artwork that tells the story of the area’s natural beauty, with Merri Creek and its abundant wildlife, the strong sense of community within the neighbourhood and the proud history of its First Nations people.
“Lisa’s mural speaks to all of these elements and reminds us of the importance of connection to both our surroundings and other people, themes which will be at the heart of all our Est. projects.”
