Glen Eira Mayor Cr Jim Magee has officially unveiled Glen Eira’s newest placemaking project — the artwork installation Wild City by artist Hayden Dewar and collaborator Shmek One.
Wild City is inspired by the wild life that live in suburban and inner city Melbourne, as well as the term ‘wild style’, which is a term used since the 1980s to describe some street art letter forms.
Cr Magee said the location of the artwork — the rail bridge and tram stop on Glenhuntly Road in Elsternwick (opposite Elsternwick Station) — was identified as a significant community site and ideal for a major placemaking initiative.
“The site is a key public transport hub, with a tram-stop directly opposite the station entrance and is utilised by thousands of commuters weekly,” he said.
“Over the years the tram-stop structure and the wall behind it had become tired, worn and a favoured location for graffiti and taggers.
“Our goal was to create a landmark artwork for the Elsternwick community and its visitors, which interacts with its surrounding environment and celebrates the local area’s flora, fauna and urban environment.”
