Melbourne has been one of the most vibrant and internationally recognised homes of street art for well over 20 years. As part of the 'Art on the Street' unit offered in Elsternwick’s Year 9 Art curriculum, students go on an excursion into the Melbourne CBD to experience the milieu of creative works on display.
Led by guides from Blender Studios, they engage with street art and graffiti in its natural habitat – the urban environment. The studio’s guides are all street artists themselves, providing first-hand knowledge and perspectives on local street art culture and the community that make it live and breathe.
Our students are introduced to a broad range of exciting and thought-provoking work in a variety of media. ‘Lock-ons’, ‘paste-ups’, stencils, murals and stickers are just a few of the techniques they’re exposed to on the 90-minute walk. They view work by notable artists such as Banksy, Adnate, Mayo, Lush and GiGi.
When they return to campus, students use street art techniques to create their own artworks on skateboard decks. The exposure to such a broad range of materials, styles and techniques enriches the choices and directions the class take with their own artworks.
Importantly, this excursion provides an engaging and exciting way of addressing the unit’s Statement of Inquiry: ‘Art on the Street' can challenge boundaries by transforming place and communicating perspectives.
