Passers-by in Boundary Street West End might have been intrigued recently by the hive of artistic activity centred on the Avid Reader building.
The flagship creation of Chrysalis Projects 4101 has transformed the literary hub of Brisbane’s iconic West End – Avid Reader – into a major landmark public artwork by globally recognised, Brisbane based, contemporary artist Vernon Ah Kee.
The massive mural, “Charcoal Stories”, is a project of Chrysalis Projects, seeded in late 2020 by Bec Mac and Carmel Haugh during the COVID crisis to employ artists, revitalise the struggling Boundary Street shops, and bring the West End community together.
According to Bec Mac, Co-Founder Chrysalis Projects, “This project reveals the power of artist-run public art projects. It taps deeply into the cultural identity of the “place” and elevates and celebrates the authors that have told the stories of this city. It is placemaking in its finest form. We are immensely proud!”
The mural wraps around the bookstore and celebrates a curated list of Brisbane authors, whose names fill square tiles in Ah Kee’s signature bold black and white text. This mosaic of word play is overlaid by dark surfboard shields, which feature the names of Brisbane’s Aboriginal authors in Ah Kee’s own handwriting.
According to artist Vernon Kee, “This project was a perfect balance of desperation and passion. It’s a leap of faith and we need more of this kind of risk and courage currently. This is a project that is new, and it needs a good start, and I thought these people have trust and faith in me, I may as well go with it and see where we go.”
The work is a testament to the power of art in place.
“It’s a match made in heaven. Vernon is a globally recognised contemporary artist and a founding member of proppaNOW, an Internationally respected and award-winning artist collective who had their first studio in West End, just behind Avid Reader on Boundary St. Avid Reader is an iconic independent bookshop that to many is the cultural heart and soul of 4101. This mural is a powerful artwork to mark the store as a place unique and loved by its community in Brisbane” Bec Mac said.
As part of the process Carmel Haugh and Bec Mac initiated Chrysalis Projects and drove a campaign encouraging the community to invest in their “place” & particularly the valuable community hub that is Avid Reader through meaningful public art. By early 2021, they had raised $62,000 from nearly 300 donations during COVID to fund the project. A true testament to the power of community and the connection people have to the iconic Avid Reader an independent bookshop that to many is the cultural heart and soul of 4101.
The project is a demonstration of the power of collaboration with the enduring support of artist Vernon Ah Kee (who never lost faith), Avid Reader’s Fiona Stager & Kevin Guy and the West End community. The pro bono assistance in legalities by Drakos and Co. Solicitors, Gadens, architecture expertise by Tim Bennetton Architects, Urban Art Projects, the late Cameron Eaton assisted us with engineering design and Daron Hodder manufactured the panels. The moral support by our friend and donor, Anne Fardoulys, (our local dentist) and Lindy Johnson can never be underestimated. The team at Milani Gallery were always available for advice and support.
The installation is over 100sqm across 52 artwork panels hand painted meticulously by the team from All City Walls artists Yannick Blattner and Benjamin Werner, both artists in their own right. This was a monumental feat, under the artistic direction of Vernon Ah Kee.
The team worked on an innovative architectural facade cladding design which can be replicable on multiple sites. However, the install required an 18cm depth of the façade system meaning the public art vertically hung across private property boundaries, requiring complex negotiations with neighbours. This project has demonstrated the powerful impact of collaboration, respectful negotiations and the resilient determination needed to see meaningful public art in the world.
At the heart of Chrysalis Projects is proving the value of quality curated art in public places.
Fiona Stager, co-owner of Avid Reader, said” “Authors are our eyes, ears and heart. Charcoal Stories pays homage to them as we and our communities are nothing without them.”
Co-funded Arts Queensland
Fundraising platform Australian Cultural Fund
