Art - more than tagging

I had been intending to check out the Geelong B power station site for some time, but now there is an added attraction - the street art of a number of graffiti and mural artists.

Retasking the environment

Geelong B is located in North Geelong alongside Corio Bay, and was the largest power station (outside the Latrobe Valley) in Victoria. It opened on 8th October 1954 and closed in 1970. It used brown coal initially sourced from Winchelsea, then Anglesea and finally from Yallourn. The station could generate 30,000 kilowatts from 3 boilers connected to the power house. The boilers, transformers,generators, coal-handling equipment and all the other gear has been removed, leaving the hollow shell of the power house - a blank canvas. 

Love the fusion piece by Duke (top), and check out the light-bulb moment, it is actually sunlight through an existing hole in the wall - wonderful utilisation of the surface.
 
 
'Powerhouse' is a great concept, as proof I'd usually be looking to capture the massive size of the abandonment, this time it was the painted images that monopolised the camera lens.

Entrance to Powerhouse

Plywood stand works from a January competition

But it wasn't only the large art works which grab your attention. What thought processes came up with the idea of making these engine blocks (well some type of machinery must have been mounted on these concrete plinths) into chocolate bars, and it works even the partly unwrapped Kit-Kat! (I've mirror-imaged the photo so you can read the labels).

Have a Crunchie, Kit-Kat or a Twirl

 

by Cax One

 

On the left is a beautiful piece, did you immediately think of Michelangelo's Hand of God to Adam? Also liked the Vespa image next door.

In addition to the works on the interior and exterior walls, in the grounds there are a number of vans, shipping containers, etc. which have been sprayed.

Mobile art (the ninja turtle is by Honkey)

I have looked at Rone's mural 'Unknown Girl of the Street' in Collins Street any number of times, but his 'Broken window theory' at Powerhouse is even better.

From Rone's site, taken from an elevated angle

 
The bookend to this mural is a spectacular one by Mark Meataxe Taylor. 

The spray-paint muralist who specialises in photo-realism portraiture, took 17 days from sunrise to sunset perched on a crane to complete the huge 4-storey piece.

It dominates the scene as you approach the front gates.

'Powerhouse' is a must visit site when going to Geelong, it is in Mackey Street, and only a donation at the door - well worth it.