The Australian National Maritime Museum has unveiled a commissioned mural from local artist InkHunter, that promotes ocean health as a priority for public awareness and action.
Entitled Shallow Iridescence, it reflects the museum’s priority of ocean health and sustainability. It is intended to provoke a sense of shared responsibility for the ways in which human behaviours impact our environment, and to inspire active awareness for sustainable systems and outcomes. The museum is a signatory to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and looks for ways to communicate a message of ocean science to the community.
Located at the front entrance to the Museum, the mural is designed to be viewed from a range of perspectives, with different elements visible from different angles and approaches– and in its entirety from Pyrmont Bridge.
InkHunter’s aim is to convey that many invisible elements combine to make a big picture; that all the small contributions humans make toward preservation of oceanic health will add up.
InkHunter, aka Patrick Hunter, says, ‘The natural world is not a place we just visit. It is our home, it is where we came from, and we should be proud of how we leave it.’
‘My objective is to draw people in, with the different ways the artwork appears from different angles. I want to engage people’s curiosity to look more closely and delve further into the mural from its surface impression, and to prompt consideration on the issues it reflects.’
The mural was laid down in multiple coats, starting with a grid of symbols that set the foundations and guide for the mural’s intention. Multiple contributors added to the baseline grid, including Museum First Nations curator Tyson Frigo, including themes of environmental destruction, nautical motifs, sea creatures, connection to ocean and joy.
The mural team consisted of: Keith Stanley, Em Hatton, John Foley, Tyson Frigo, Colin McKinnon.
The mural is composed of intersecting images, symbols and themes that call for communities to attend to ocean health, overfishing and environmental sustainability. Its themes have local resonance but also extend to ocean health as a national and international concern.
InkHunter continued, ‘The blue-ringed octopus that is the central image is flaring up with nets in its tentacles. It is showing a warning for the direction we are heading with shark nets and overfishing. I was inspired by the work of Valerie Taylor.’
‘Caring for the ocean and the environment is part of being a good person. I want people of all ages to think about the ocean that surrounds us and be more aware of taking care of it.’.
About InkHunter
Patrick Hunter, aka InkHunter is an environmental street artist from Sydney.
Growing up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches surrounded by nature, Patrick has always been immensely passionate about ocean conservation. Spending as much time as possible in the water, Patrick has served as a Surf Lifesaver for 7 years, began surfing from an early age, is an avid sustainable fisherman, freediver and scuba diver.
Over time, Patrick has become increasingly concerned about the impacts of human activity on the environment. This has been reflected in the style and themes seen in many of his artworks. As a firm believer that art can be used as a visual medium to effect change, Patrick is interested in using public artwork to engage and inspire the community to make sustainable choices.
In 2020, Patrick founded Plastic Free Beaches in response to an increase in single-use plastics such as facemasks and coffee cups. Through this, Patrick has worked with schools and not-for-profit organisations to create educational artworks that encourage sustainable behaviour change. Patrick completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts & Graphic Design at Australian Catholic University. Alongside this, he studied Fine Art and Art History at the Venice Biennale.
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