A once mundane wall at Shepparton ACE Secondary College has been brought to life by local artist Tank.
The formerly bleak wall has become the talk of the town, adding much-needed colour and interest to the urban landscape, and intriguing and impressing students and passers-by alike.
“We had this big wall that needed something to brighten up the area, and we’ve got a very urban landscape that is quite unattractive,” visual arts teacher Karren Pollerd said.
“We needed a mural for the wall, and Tank was the obvious choice to commission it.”
Over the course of the week it took to paint the mural, classes were brought out to watch Tank in action, a process Ms Pollerd described as highly engaging for the students.
“It’s really interesting because as it was developing, they were trying to guess what the animals were because that wasn’t clear at the beginning,” she said.
Not only did the students take notice but, according to Tank, the wider community also got involved, engaging in conversations about the artwork.
When asked about his vision for the mural, Tank said, “We just wanted it to be happy for a start. ‘Colourful’ was another bit of the brief and ‘big and bold’.
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Unity in colour: Shepparton ACE College visual arts teacher Karren Pollerd, Year 10 students Hannah Marsh and Victoria Carter, with Year 11 students Jasmyn Campbell and Matilda Jolly and Year 10 student Trinity King. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 2 of 10
Urban revival: Year 11 student Matilda Jolly placing her hand print on the mural. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 3 of 10
Preserving vibrancy: Tank doing what he loves most. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 4 of 10
Proud: Local artist Tank with his newest creation. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 5 of 10
A week of colour: Tank standing with his week-long labour of love, the ACE College mural. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 6 of 10
Spectrum of life: Tank’s transformative touch brings new life to the walls of ACE College. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 7 of 10
No artillery needed: Tank’s art is having an explosive impact on ACE College. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 8 of 10
Hop into heritage: A kangaroo, painted by Tank, ‘leaps’ off the wall of ACE College, featuring the colours of the Aboriginal flag. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 9 of 10
Wall transformed: Shepparton ACE Secondary College has a new mural. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 10 of 10
National treasure in colour: The koala segment of Tank’s mural, painted with hues of the Australian flag. Photo by Rechelle Zammit“Something for ACE College to give to Shepparton instead of a blank wall in a car park.”
The artwork features a galah, a kangaroo and a koala, each painted with symbolic colours.
“The koala, in a symbolic and representable way, has got the colours of the Australian flag in it. The kangaroo’s painted with the colours of the Indigenous flag, and overall, we’ve got a bit of rainbow colours in there as well,” Tank said.
He also said the mural had been designed to be more than meets the eye.
“I wanted it to be ambiguous enough but sort of have some dual meaning,” he said.
“There’s a bit of a topographical nature of the Goulburn Valley and all the colours that are in it.
“There’s representation of rivers and strips of forest and green through it.”
His deliberate ambiguity has paid off, with people stopping by to question whether the design is a map or something representing nature.
Despite the challenge of painting a mural in winter, Tank said he had an overwhelmingly positive experience.
“I’ve had lots of great feedback,” he said.
For the students of ACE College, this project has also provided a literal hands-on experience.
“The kids have come out and put their hand prints on it,” Ms Pollerd said.
“We will ultimately put their names underneath.”
She expressed her hope that in the coming years, they would return, visit and reminisce about their involvement in this project.