Banksia, mural
The dreary wall outside Banksia railway station and behind the bus stop was recently brightened up with a burst of colour. The mural incorporates a flow of stainless steel Banksia leaves, a concept developed by Ruth Downes and Geoff Webster. Banksia, the plant and the suburb, are named after Joseph Banks, a naturalist along with Daniel Solander, on the expedition of the Endeavour led by James Cook. They explored the eastern coast of Australia in 1770 and landed at nearby Botany Bay. The first and last leaves are inscribed with the following quotes from their journals. "The great quantity of plants Mr Banks and Dr Solander found in this place occasioned my giving it the name Botany Bay" James Cook - May 1770. "Of Plants in general the countrey afforded a far larger variety than its barren appearance seemed to promise" Joseph Banks - August 1770.
I thought at first these were by the well-known graffiti artist known as Banksy but I see that is not the case - nice way to brighten up a wall.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely tribute and adds a nice touch of color.
ReplyDeleteHa, I made the same mistake as Gerald!
ReplyDeleteAs a Swede I do know a little about Solander, he was from Piteå in the North of Sweden.
Wonderful colours.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Melbourne Daily Photo
Nice way to brighten up the world
ReplyDeleteI love it and I feel the flow. MB
ReplyDeleteGives a dull old wall a burst of life.
ReplyDeleteI quite like the mural along the retaining wall, Jim, but not on the back of the old railway building. I think these should be treated with more respect.
ReplyDeleteI like it! It's a cool mural and perfectly fits the space.
ReplyDeleteYou sure have an eye for interesting art work. I love the bright colors and I'm sure that those that pass by every day appreciate it too.
ReplyDeleteLove the stainless steel banksia leaves and the Australian colours of sky, sun and earth.
ReplyDeleteJulie, I tend to agree with you about respecting old buildings. When they started the work, I thought it would have been better if they kept the mural low along the retaining wall and painted the back of the waiting room to match the front. Once completed though, the artwork seemed to work well with the streetscape and station.
ReplyDeleteBrightens things up a bit. I like it. Wasn't there last time I went by. Which side - not the Princes Highway side presumably.
ReplyDeleteMy second building shot is the Supreme Court Building on Queens Square.
Ann, you're right. It's the Railway Street side, not the Hattersley Street-Princes Highway side.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful murals, I like the colors and curves.
ReplyDeleteWow... There are many beautiful pics from Sydney!
ReplyDeleteDon't be susprised about seeing an Aussie in my blog. I'm a big fan of Australia -mostly Melbourne- so I try to keep up of what's going on in your country.
Saludos desde Mexico!
Great artwork. It sure beats Graffiti tags
ReplyDeleteColorful, work of art for vacant spaces...best for the eyes instead of vandals doing it, let's do this beautifully. thanks for visiting too.have a happy day.
ReplyDeletereally nice shots!
ReplyDeleteMuch better than a greyt wall. Quite funky.
ReplyDeleteWonderful facelift for Banksia! When I travelled through on the Oatley line, Banksia seemed the have a rather drab personality! This change is good to see!
ReplyDeleteDelightful flow of color in the murals. And interesting comment by Captain Cook. He woul have really been amazed if the explored inland Australia.
ReplyDelete