Street art meets a 'sweet' history in Fitzroy: A conversation with local street artist, Ling

A fresh mural has decorated the Argyle Street façade of our latest flagship project, Fabbrica. Inspired by the history of the site as the former home of the Lifesavers Confectionery Company, Melbourne-based street artist Ling details his artistic vision and creative process for the vibrant mural.

The quiet corner of Gore and Argyle Streets in Fitzroy has been lit up with a new portrait of Rosie Stanton, a local lifeguard at the Fitzroy Pool. With the inspiration taken literally from the namesake of the original operators of the site – the Lifesavers Confectionery Company – street artist Ling has brought life and colour to the future home of Fabbrica.

Ling, of Everfresh Studio, is renowned for producing large-scale murals. Read on to discover the creative process behind his latest piece.

Pace

What is the inspiration behind the mural?

Ling

Based on the composition of the space and with portraiture being a key focus of my practice, there was an immediate intent to produce a portrait. The narrative around it came through discussion with the team at Pace where I became aware of the building's history of producing Lifesavers lollies. That, combined with the proximity to Fitzroy Pool, created a perfect crossover which could be represented through a portrait of a local lifeguard. Luckily Rosie, who happens to be an artist as well as a lifeguard, put her hand up for an impromptu photoshoot at the pool which generated the final reference.

Pace

How has the community responded to the piece?

Ling

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. From tradies watching the progress to locals stopping by for a chat and meeting lifelong Fitzroy artists, producing pieces like this almost always lead to positive conversations. The intrinsically human element of portraits is easily understood and appreciated.

Pace

Are your pieces typically inspired by the local context?

Ling

It doesn’t always have to be a local context although increasingly I’m looking to have a clear narrative associated with my portraits. Personally I’ve found that this makes me more invested in the work and allows for a more involved process. The outcome being higher quality work with visuals that are unique.

Pace

What is your approach for securing new sites for your art?

Ling

This can vary dramatically from large scale commissions to applying for new projects through EOI processes. Coming from a Graffiti background, the one method that has always been successful is simply walking the neighbourhood and asking. I can’t think of a time where this has failed and generally leads to meeting new people and making genuine connections.

Pace

Have you had a commercial relationship with a developer previously?

Ling

Not that I can recall. Painting walls has led to a huge number of projects over the years. Some of which have involved working with companies in parallel with developers but I have not worked as directly as in the manner of this piece.

You can find Ling and fellow artist Dvate in action at The Fabbrica Open House on Saturday, 24 February as they collaborate on a brand new mural on the Gore Street facade of our project site, beside the display suite. Be sure to secure your spot for the our display suite tours running throughout the day as we officially launch Fabbrica. Experience the project’s finishes and details first-hand, and enjoy complimentary food by Ugo Cucina Poplare as Ling and Dvate’s mural comes to life.

Fabbrica is reinventing Fitzroy living with innovation and creativity buttoned down. Discover the transformative project at fabbricafitzroy.au.

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