Street Art Inspired by the History of Western Sydney Hip Hop
Blacktown Laneways
Laneways in Blacktown are being transformed with street art in It’s Our Thing Part III.
The project is part of Blacktown City Council’s Graffiti Management Plan to undertake and legitimise street art within the city and turn laneways into engaging, creative, and imaginative spaces for the community. The partnership with Blacktown Arts continues as the street art is moved from the gallery walls back into the streets of Blacktown.
In Part III, a select group of artists have been commissioned to transform three laneways in the Blacktown CBD with street art inspired by the Hip-Hop movement of western Sydney.
Funding for this instalment of the project has come from the NSW Department of Justice and Crime Prevention Grant, the Federal Government’s Safer Communities Grant and Blacktown City Council.
120 Main St, Blacktown
Artists: OPNSRC.CO
Jim Simpson Laneway, Blacktown
Artist: Andrew Frazer in collaboration with Elliott Routledge and James Middleton
Mackenzie Walkway, Blacktown
Artists: Alex Byrne and Tina Barahanos
It’s Our Thing – More History on Australian Hip-Hop
Parts I & II
Part I & II included a series of exhibitions and performances hosted at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre in 2016 and 2017 showcasing the current practice and past archives linked with the Hip-Hop movement in western Sydney.
The exhibitions were presented by Blacktown Arts in partnership with Blacktown City Council’s City Assets Directorate under the guidance of the City Image Section through the Graffiti Management Plan.
It’s Our Thing is a project developed by Kon Gouriotis and Paul Howard, Curator, Blacktown Arts in consultation with Rick Wiezel, Senior Coordinator City Image, Blacktown City Council. The program of exhibitions and performances were co-curated by Kon Gouriotis, Paul Howard and Maria Mitar.
The exhibition catalogues included new critical writings about the rise of the artistic movement in western Sydney and current practice, artist profiles and images from the archives along with new works.