Street Art in Byron Bay

This week I went to Byron Bay in NSW, Australia, where the Bluesfest contemporary blues and roots music festival was happening over the weekend. I found some interesting street art, mostly in the form of giant wall murals or graffiti. For this series of photos, I chose to include art from the new and more industrial area of Byron Bay. In this area, there are many up and coming Australian sustainable fashion brands, and workspaces for different new companies. In general, Byron Bay is a creative and artistic place, and this specific area I photographed is a developing creative hub.

When I was looking at the street art I couldn’t find any names or social media written. To me, these artists are anonymous. The reason I photographed the street art is because the imagery caught my eye. Every time I drive through the area, I always notice this huge mural that covers the whole wall of a building. The person’s face seems almost avatar-like and has become very recognisable.

As I took more photos of different street art and looked at them together, I started to wonder if perhaps some of these murals are done by the same artist. There was a common theme of big colourful murals depicting women.

This street art covers the front of the famous Byron Bay Cookie Company headquarters. When you approach the building, the giant, colourful imagery is very striking. The marketing approach of street art showcasing the cookie really connects to the vibe of Byron Bay.

This is a building most people see as they drive into Byron Bay, so this image is probably well recognised. The other murals are all near to this, but the cookie store stands out more than the other building locations.

I saw this mural near the first two, on the outside of another building. Looking at the images of women, there are a lot of similarities. They often have pink or purple hair, which creates an supernatural sense. Their faces remind me of cartoon avatars. The images weren’t very diverse. I noticed that all of their eyes are blue which did not feel inclusive. Most of these murals feature a profile of a female, and often animals or insects. The first had a starfish, the second had butterflies, the third had ravens. Byron Bay is very connected to nature, wildlife, and the ocean so these images show this relationship.

This is another mural that highlights nature with large roses and floral imagery. The way street art creates “dialogues in the margins” is through contributing to the concepts that are central to the environment they are found in. In Byron Bay, sustainability and environmental justice are central to the community. The street art speaks to the love and appreciation of nature.

This street art was next to the previous image, and it stood out to me because of how strange it was. I found it interesting how in areas that seem random people find ways to create art on any surface.

This mural was also next to the previous two street art. Again, it shows female-looking person, similar to the earlier street art. This character reminds me a little of Wonder Woman. I am curious about whether the street art was created by the same person or many people who were inspired by each other’s work.

I have never done graffiti art before. I have performed in the street during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with a theatre company that I was part of, we danced and did physical theatre around the city. I think street art and performance can bring together community and also speak to the collective. As a child my mother let me draw on my bedroom walls. My sister, friends, and I would cover every surface with colourful drawings and poetry. I treasure the memories of this room and my walls covered in art and writing, it felt like a magical world of personal expression.

I think in some ways, street art similarly is about externalising inner imaginings, thoughts, and ideas. In a public space, the art can be interpreted and enjoyed by many people. Street art becomes a part of the neighbourhood and environment they were created in, and sometimes speak to the collective conversations in the community.