Welcome to Bondi – Freedom of Speech

Welcome to Bondi – Freedom of Speech

The Editor

Everyone was shocked when ELK (artist Luke Cornish) stencilled his Welcome to Bondi panel in late July 2019.

The panel depicts 24 Border Force ‘soldiers’ in paramilitary/riot gear holding semiautomatic weapons – with WELCOME TO BONDI lettered in a Soviet-style font across the top.

This represents the 24 Asylum Seekers who have committed suicide in Australian onshore/offshore detention camps since 2010.

Now the Graffiti wall at Bondi Beach has always been used for social issues (refugees, marine conservation etc) and Luke has a history of painting confronting pieces – his 2016 – Capitalist Pig piece with Kaff-eine features a Capitalist Pig and his canine wife who wears a scarf made of Syrian refugees – but this one REALLY upset people. Local politicians ranted against the painting on Facebook, local people (by and large) ranted FOR the painting. It made media across the country. Petitions were launched for- and against- the mural. It became a real political hot-potato.

And so on Tuesday night (6th August) Waverley Council voted whether to keep the mural or not. They voted 5-4 in favour of the mural (broadly split on political lines) and local art-lovers celebrated.

Then late that night after the meeting someone defaced the mural with a roller. Police haven’t yet caught the culprits – but it echoes the behaviours of other thugs in February this year when the wall was defaced with swastikas in an attempt to intimidate Bondi’s Jewish community.

Free speech isn’t for everyone it seems.

So where do we go now? We are hoping that Luke paints right back over it!

ELK’s wall post gets publicity

ELK’s wall post gets publicity

The Editor

Luke Cornish (ELK)’s Welcome To Bondi piece features 24 Border Security Guards and represents the 24 suicides in detention since 2010 – it has certainly been creating waves.

Leon Goltsman, a Liberal councillor on Waverley Council ranted on Facebook and ABC Radio Sydney he wants the mural removed because the area shouldn’t be politicised:

“People come down to the beach, they’re bringing their children, they’re bringing their families. We’ve got tourists. If they want to see this kind of art they go to the gallery, they’ve got the exhibition. They’re not expecting this. Kids are being traumatised.”

But Leon is in the minority – most of the commentators seem to back Luke’s bravery in bringing this issue to the public eye.

Maybe the people who hate the image are struggling with their sense of shame.

Bondi Beach Murals defaced with Swastikas

Bondi Beach Murals defaced with Swastikas

The Editor

The Australian Jewish news reported this morning that a number of murals on the wall (including pieces by Reubzz) have been defaced overnight by vandals using Swastikas.

This is disgusting and a further example of the rise of Australian right-wing nationalism – we need to stand against racism of all kinds.

Fortunately, Waverley Council staff were down at lunchtime attempting to clean off these horrible symbols.

Peque Vrs Paints WAYS

Peque Vrs Paints WAYS

The Editor

If you’re checking out the street art on the Bondi wall, take the time to head up Wairoa Avenue – Mexican street artist Peque Vrs has done an amazing job of repainting the front of the Waverley Council WAYS – (Waverley Youth Services) building.

His work features two guys driving off in a convertible and a girl surrounded by the words:

  • Success
  • Confident
  • Opportunity
  • Inspired

WAYS has supported the youth of Bondi – including its budding street artists – for over twenty years.

Help us identify these historic pieces from 2010!

Help us identify these historic pieces from 2010!

The Editor

2010 was a great year for graffiti on the Bondi Beach Graffiti Wall – and thanks to Dean at Land of Sunshine, we have 18 images that he took in January 2011 of panels on the wall. We need your help – to identify the artists.

We have worked out two (thanks SG and Silver) – but we need a hand with the remaining 16, so if you know the artist could you message us (and them) with their contact details so that we can properly add these images to the community website.

Cheers

Jerome

2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 1
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 2
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 3
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 4
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 5
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 6
deansunshine_landofsunshine_melbourne_street_art_graffiti_bondi beach 14
2010 – Unknown Artist 7
2010 - Unknown Artist - Boy Eating Ice-Cream
2010 – Unknown Artist – Boy Eating Ice-Cream 8
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 9
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 10
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 11
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 12
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 13
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 14
2010 - SG - Blue Shift
2010 – SG – Blue Shift
2010 - Unknown Artist - Vampires
2010 – Unknown Artist – Vampires
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 15
2010 - Silver Lines Art - SILVER
2010 – Silver Lines Art – SILVER
2010 - Unknown Artist
2010 – Unknown Artist 16
2017 in Review – Bondi Beach Graffiti Wall

2017 in Review – Bondi Beach Graffiti Wall

The Editor

Well it has been a busy year on the Bondi Beach Graffiti Wall – we have had some amazing art created by some incredibly talented artists.

The Instagrammer’s favourite for the 2017 season was clearly Em Carey‘s 2016 – The World in Detail – and whilst not graffiti, it took Emma days to complete and really resonated with the public.

2016 – Em Carey – The World in Detail
2016 – Em Carey – The World in Detail – Australia
2016 – Em Carey – The World in Detail – Europe
2016 – Em Carey – The World in Detail – Close-up

And there was a wide variety of work – from the aerosol work of Gus Eagleton – whose 2017 – Reflections showed an incredible nozzle control:

2017 – Gus Eagleton – Reflections – Full
2017 – Gus Eagleton – Reflections – Detail 3
2017 – Gus Eagleton – Reflections – Detail 2
2017 – Gus Eagleton – Reflections – Detail 1

Simple pieces like Andre Braun – BondiWorld‘s 2016 – Rodin’s Seagull:

And Yipes one MD‘s classic 2016 – Top Cat (see photo at the top of this page).

Here are a couple of videos that I took on Christmas Eve 2017 – and although my videography is amateurish, I hope you see some of your favourites.

Once again, thanks to the artists for brightening up Bondi, to Waverley Council for curating the wall, and to everyone who shared images on Facebook and Instagram. Keep sending them and I’ll keep adding the pages to the website!

Jerome