Melbourne out-arts Sydney on the streets

Events surrounding the release of graffiti art film Exit Through the Gift Shop have highlighted the stark differences between the Sydney and Melbourne city councils when it comes to street art.

The film’s director, known only by his pseudonym ‘Banksy’, was recently invited to spray paint Melbourne by Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle. Doyle extended the invitation due to public outrage after council workers painted over one of Banksy’s pieces. The Lord Mayor has even floated the option of commissioning a work by the artist.

But Doyle’s pro-street art sentiment is not shared by Sydney council. Last month the city launched its first ever ‘Graffiti Action Day’ in which local councils and members of the public took to the streets painting over work by graffiti artists.

Two of the soldiers from this ever-waging culture war are Teazer and Mini Graff.

Teazer has been spraying on-and-off for 21 years while Mini Graff has been stencilling for five. They are both highly regarded in the art community for their unique styles of painting.

But they fear that the NSW Premier, Kristina Keneally’s, latest crackdown on graffiti artists could see younger artists discouraged from taking up the art form.

“I feel that things are getting more and more difficult” Mini Graff told the City Hub “and it isn’t inspiring creativity”.

The combination of recent Government decisions to double the penalty for graffiti related charges to six months and the hiring of graffiti removal squads to paint over street art as soon as 24 hours after it goes up is leading many street artists to feel it’s simply not worth it.

Teazer disagrees with the Government heavy handed approach: “I think the solution is to set-up street art workshops, that way you’d be producing artists, not vandals.”

Teazer began his career as a tagger, over the years increasing the quality of his work.

“Its hard to do graffiti, when I started it was easy,” he says.

“I’m lucky enough to have ways of getting out there legally, these kids just need a forum to express themselves.”

Street art has been a controversial topic over the last decade with many labeling it defacement, not art.

But Banksy’s film Exit Through the Gift Shop directly challenges those who would have all graffiti removed from Sydney’s streets. With two sold-out screenings at the Sydney Film Festival, it is certain to reignite debate on the issue.

Melbourne has always trumpeted Sydney in support for the arts, but on the matter of street art the two cities are light years apart.