Vans The Omega recently completed these two murals in Chinatown Plaza, Adelaide as part of an upgrade for the precinct, featuring new sculptural elements, lighting installations, and other renovations.
Chinatown Plaza is located on Moonta Street, the main street that runs through Chinatown, between the two gates that are a common fixture in any Chinatown around the world.
Vans created the two murals over a three-week period starting in December 2019 and spilling into January 2020. Dealing with obscure painting times, and ridiculous summer heat – hitting 45 degrees during the day, and already sitting at 35 degrees when he woke up at 3 am – Vansy would blast away as much as possible before sun hit the wall at 7 am, pushing through in the sweltering heat after that.
The first mural features a portrait of his friend Shanti and shines a light on the strength of youth and the Australian Chinese community, connecting traditional elements with modern, vibrant colours. His intention was to show Shanti’s power, essence, and soul.
The second mural is presented in a traditional Kenzan format. Balancing different graphic elements taken from Chinese porcelain and textiles, along with the surrounding restaurants. To correctly interpret the Kenzan format, VANS consulted with the florist at Chinatown Plaza and completed his own research on the Kenzan style.
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Process photos: Brendan Pope (@adelaidefacades)
Words: Luke Shirlaw / Artillery Projects
