Image: A portrait mural of Queen Elizabeth II in Marrickville has been painted over with an Aboriginal Flag. Photo: Flickr.
By ERIN MODARO
A public mural of Queen Elizabeth II in Sydney’s inner west has been painted over with an Aboriginal flag. The mural depicting a young Queen Elizabeth, located just outside of Sydenham train station, was painted by British artist Stuart Sale on the day the Queen died.
The Marrickville mural was reportedly already defaced before the red, yellow and black was painted over.
The covering up of the mural coincides with a national public holiday mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sydney Councillor speaks out against new plaza dedicated to Queen
The image of the Aboriginal Flag reflects a sentiment felt throughout the community and by First Nations peoples. A new public plaza named after the Queen has been called into question.
Sydney Councillor and Deputy Chairwoman of Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Yvonne Weldon came out on social media criticising the naming of the square.
Cr Weldon responded to NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s labelling the new square as “visionary”.
“There’s nothing visionary about the erasure of First Nations history, culture and perspectives!” her tweet reads.
Cr Weldon said in a Facebook post that “my people’s relationship with the monarchy is fraught”.
The mural’s artist told the Sydney Morning Herald he is “torn” over the painting.
“[The mural] doesn’t really belong to me” Sale said. “It belongs to the people”.
Sale told the Herald said he was unsure whether he would keep the portrait up.
