Tag:dvate
One of the stops along the Victorian silo art trail in Rochester is a small regional town. Rochester is situated on the Campaspe River between Bendigo and Echuca. The towns twin silo’s features a Squirrel Glider and Azure Kingfisher due to both being indigenous to the area. The Silos can be found at 18 Ramsey St.
Graincorp Silos
Dvate is a Melbourne-based artist and graphic designer. His artwork depicts local fauna, so as to raise awareness of endangered animals. Both silos were painted in 2018, with the tall silo featuring the Squirrel Glider. The Squirrel Glider is the largest of the three gliders found in Northern Victoria and was thought to be extinct in South Australia since 1939. However, genetic testing has confirmed their continued inhabitance of the area.
The smaller silo features the Azure Kingfisher perched alongside the Campaspe River. With its distinctive royal blue plumage on its upper parts and orange on the chest, the azure kingfisher is the brightest coloured of all four kingfishers found in northern Victoria. However, It is also one of the smallest kingfishers.
While we were there, we were lucky enough to come across Dvate. He had just started painting the silos at the back of the existing ones. Work started in November and is expected to be finished in December. Dvate’s work can also be seen on the Goorambat Silo, Kyabram water tank, Picola Silo, Woomelang field bins and many walls across Victoria.
Iddles Lane
Not far from the silos is Iddles Lane, a mural painted by Tim Bowtell in January 2020. The mural tells the story of Rochester born, former homicide detective Ron Iddles OAM APM. Also featured on the mural is Ron’s twin brother Barry an international chef, and other family members. As a result of Ron’s 99% conviction rate with the police force, he was dubbed “Australia’s greatest detective”.
Ron was famous for his work in the homicide squad and as Secretary of the Police Union. It was with the police union he raised awareness of mental health issues with serving officers. As a result, Ron earned the respect of peers, victims and criminals alike. Retiring in 2017 he was the subject of a book by Justine Ford titled The Good Cop. Furthermore, in 2019 he starred in a Foxtel Crime & Investigation series based on the book and won a Silver Logie.
More of Tim Bowtell’s work can also be seen on the Winton Wetlands CFA tank and fish trees, Colbinabbin Silos and pub, Winton rest stop and several locations across Benalla.
An easy 2-hour run north up the Hume from Melbourne will bring you to Benalla street art. A small rural city of around 14,000 residents. It’s a pretty town with botanical gardens and a large attractive lake. A ceramic mural overlooks the lake and the Art Gallery on the opposite shore. But that’s not what draws the tourists. Cue the Benalla Street Art and Silos.
Benalla’s main drawcard is its proximity to the North East Silo Art Trail, an art initiative for regional towns. The Winton Wetlands and Benalla’s famous Wall to Wall festival. The festival attracts thousands of visitors and has been held annually since 2015. It draws street artists from all over the world, including, among others, Guido Van Helton, Adnate, Rone, Dvate, and Sirum.
Hence, Benalla is fast becoming recognised for its impressive street art. Spanning walls in the guise of murals, covering once decrepit laneways, and gracing the sides of shops, the art is everywhere.
I spent a few days driving and walking around Benalla with the aid of the Murals Map but still missed many of them. A second visit is definitely in order though maybe not during the event with all the crowds.
The next festival is 3-5 April 2020.