Premier

Metro Tunnel Creative Program Takes To The Skies

29 October 2019

An internationally renowned artist known for large-scale works across the globe has left an imprint on Melbourne through Metro Tunnel Project.

Detroit-based artist Pat Perry today finished painting a 90-metre long, over 20-metre wide mural on the rooftop of the acoustic shed over City Square. The temporary acoustic shed will minimise noise, light and dust created during the 24-hour construction as the new Town Hall Station is built.

The artwork pays homage to early Melbourne’s theatre history and has been inspired by an image of a theatre troupe from the late 1800s Pat discovered on a tour of the Princess Theatre archives with Melbourne theatre aficionado Elaine Marriner.

Local street-art studio Juddy Roller has worked with the Metro Tunnel team to bring Pat to Australia. Two established Melbourne artists – Georgina Goodnow and Jason Parker – helped him paint the mural and he also mentored local artists during his stay, providing an invaluable opportunity for Melbourne’s best artists.

Pat will now begin work this week on an accompanying artwork in the driveway of The Westin Melbourne, which will be publicly accessible all year round.

Next year, the Metro Tunnel Project will run an open call out for a local artist to design an artwork for the Swanston Street side of the City Square shed – taking the total number of Victorian artists involved in the project to 30.

Work on the rooftop artwork coincided with the completion of the City Square acoustic shed, as excavation continues inside as part of the construction of the new Town Hall Station.

Another acoustic shed is taking shape at Federation Square on the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets to allow work on the station entrance and the underground passenger connection between Flinders Street Station and Town Hall Station.

Once complete, the Metro Tunnel will provide space for an additional half-a-million passengers across Melbourne’s rail network each week, cut travel times to key destinations and ease congestion on the roads.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan

“While the majority of artists involved in our Metro Tunnel Creative Program hail from Victoria, this a great opportunity to bring a world-renowned artist to Melbourne to share his expertise with emerging local artists.”

“The Metro Tunnel will deliver more trains, more often to and from our suburbs – and our creative program will be another great addition to our city.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley

“Creative and city-building pursuits need not be mutually exclusive, as this work demonstrates so strikingly.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing how Melburnians response to the work and encourage local artists to put their hand up next year for the second commission.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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