A new gallery has given over its brick wall to the street artists of Bendigo – and beyond.
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The Arnold Street Gallery has teamed up with two local street artists to create a space upon which fellow artists can let their creative minds run wild.
Paste-up artists ‘Mr Dimples’ and ‘Marcsi’ – both featured earlier this year by the Bendigo Advertiser – kicked off proceedings painting the first murals on the wall.
But ‘Mr Dimples’ said his work was not meant to last forever.
“The whole idea is not to have a permanent display – street art doesn't stay up permanently in the street – and so the idea is to keep it that way, to give it the feel of a Melbourne laneway, for example,” he said.
The two artists will form a selection panel with the gallery owners which plans to pick new artists to replace the works every few months.
“We’re putting a call out for artists to put in an application, and they’ll get to use the wall to do whatever street art they want, painting, paste-ups, spray painting … as long as it doesn’t damage the wall, they can go for it,” he said.
And the 33-year-old teacher said the potential rewards were many.
Since going public with his work in the Advertiser in August, ‘Mr Dimples’ has been inundated with offers to paint murals and run workshops.
He has been commissioned to paint Chancery Lane, a burger joint in View Street, a winery in Ravenswood –the City of Greater Bendigo has got on board too, using his design in a new walkway in Epsom.
“I’m looking at getting an ABN and seriously pursuing it all,” ‘Mr Dimples’ said.
“But right now I need to take a break … I’ve been at it every weekend!”
And while the ‘Mr Dimples’ has found his niche in the city’s art scene, he’s calling on other property owners to give others the same opportunities.
“It’d be great if other businesses jumped on board and supported street art,” he said.
“It’s good for tourism and it’s another format to get Bendigo in the spotlight.”
The street artist said applications to paint the gallery’s wall would open soon and all artists could apply.