Art City
Walking Trail
Public art can stimulate thinking, deepen sense of place and transform how we engage with spaces. Within Perth city there are more than 200 public artworks reflecting the city’s identity, both past and present. This curated art trail includes a selection of public artworks that showcase our evolving CBD and Northbridge. Immerse yourself in our city.
Art City Walking Trail
FIRST CONTACT ELIZABETH QUAY, PERTH (2015)
ARTIST: Laurel Nannup
The stunning First Contact sculpture welcomes visitors to Elizabeth Quay from the city and the river. The cast aluminium artwork by renowned Nyoongar artist, Laurel Nannup, represents the arrival of European colonist ships to Perth, whom the local Nyoongar people believed to be their past ancestors returning from the sea.
Image credit: First Contact by Laurel Nannup, City of Perth Public Art Collection, image courtesy of Bob Litchfield / City of Perth, 2016
Walk north towards the Elizabeth Quay Station intersection. Cross at the lights and walk north up William Street. At Murray Street Mall, turn left onto Murray Street. Walk west and turn left onto Wolf Lane.
WOLF LANE ARTS PRECINCT (2014)
WOLF LANE, PERTH
ARTISTS: Pixel Pancho, James Cooper and Martin E Wills, Jetsonorama, ELK, Andrew Frazer, Anya Brock, Hurben, Ian Mutch, JXD, Dolus, Lucas Grogan, Shrink, Amok Island, Jaz, Stormie Mills, Hyuro, ROA, Maya Hayuk, Alexis Diaz
In 2014 Western Australian not for profit arts and cultural organisation ‘FORM building a state of creativity’ commissioned local and international artists to enliven Wolf Lane through a series of murals as part of their ongoing PUBLIC project. The project involved commissioning 16 murals, bringing colour to the previously underutilized laneway. The revitalisation of this area has brought life back to this hidden corner of Perth, and is reflective of the growing vibrant café and small bar culture of Perth city. Artists including Perth’s own Stormie Mills and Amok Island sit alongside international artists such as Pixel Panch, Maya Hayuk and ROA.
Image credit: Mahi Mahi by Amok Island, image courtesy of Bewley Shaylor / ‘FORM building a state of creativity’, 2014
Continue west through Wolf Lane until you reach King Street. Turn right to walk north up King Street to Wellington Street. Cross at the lights to reach the north side of Wellington Street. Turn right onto Telethon Avenue and walk towards the grassy hill at Kings Square.
KOORDEN (2015)
KINGS SQUARE, PERTH
ARTISTS: Rod Garlett, Fred Chaney, Richie Kuhaupt
Six dramatic male Aboriginal figures rendered in cast bronze stride towards the east across the grass of Wellington Gardens. The bands that form their bodies represent painted ceremonial markings found in historical photographs, reinterpreted by artist Rod Garlett in extensive consultation with local Aboriginal Elders.
Image credit: Koorden by Rod Garlett, City of Perth Public Art Collection, image courtesy of Frances Andrijich Photography / Perth Public Art Foundation, 2016
Walk back towards Telethon Avenue and immediately turn left towards the Kings Square restaurants and cafes. Look up to see Connectus.
CONNECT(US) (2015)
KINGS SQUARE, PERTH
ARTISTS: Warren Langley, Trent Baker
This suspended ribbon-like light artwork glows with the ochre hues of the Western Australian landscape at night. Connect(us) responds to the transitioning ambient light of sunlight, sky and shadow with subtle colour shifts.
Image credit: Connect(us) by Warren Langley and Trent Baker, City of Perth Public Art Collection, image courtesy of Frances Andrijich Photography / Perth Public Art Foundation, 2016
Return to Wellington Street and walk east towards the Perth Train Station. At the William Street intersection, cross to the northern side of Wellington Street. Walk along the eastern side of William Street, and turn left to enter the 140 William Street arts precinct.
140 WILLIAM ARTS PRECINCT (2014)
140 WILLIAM STREET, PERTH
ARTIST: Various
One of the many sites of the inaugural PUBLIC festival by ‘FORM building a state of creativity’ in 2014, the 140 William laneway serves as an urban gallery and gateway connecting the thriving pedestrian mall of Murray Street to the cultural hub of Northbridge, via the historic Horseshoe Bridge. The laneway beside the heritage Globe Building features a monumental mural by Perth artist Kyle Hughes-Odgers and gem-like sculptural seating elements by Perth jewellery designer Alister Yiap.
Image credit: Mural by Beastman and Vans the Omega, image courtesy of City of Perth, 2017
Return to Wellington Street. Turn right to walk east and continue until you reach Forrest Place on your right.
GROW YOUR OWN (2011)
FORREST PLACE, PERTH
ARTIST: James Angus
Grow Your Own references the emergence of the organic farming movement in the early 20th century and the coincident rise of Modernist sculpture, with the eye-catching contemporary green contrasting directly with the natural stone of the surrounding heritage buildings. This distinctive sculpture encourages Perth's people to connect to their city and community in a tangible way, fostering a commitment to making their own art and ideas. The sculpture was the winning entry of the State Government and City of Perth's international sculpture competition, ‘situate’, from a pool of 202 entries.
Image credit: Grow Your Own by James Angus, City of Perth Public Art Collection, image courtesy of Frances Andrijich Photography / Perth Public Art Foundation, 2016
Walk south to the centre of Forrest Place to view Water Labyrinth.
APPEARING ROOMS FORREST PLACE (2012)
FORREST PLACE, PERTH
ARTIST: Jeppe Hein
Forrest Place’s site-specific interactive water sculpture Appearing Rooms Forrest Place shoots jets of water into the air, creating nine rooms which disappear as quickly as they emerge. Providing welcome respite from the heat of Perth’s summers for children and adults alike, Appearing Rooms Forrest Place is one of Perth’s most popular public artworks, attracting over 200,000 passers-by every month.
Image credit: Water Labyrinth by Jeppe Hein, City of Perth Public Art Collection, image courtesy of Frances Andrijich Photography / Perth Public Art Foundation, 2016
Walk south through Forrest Place and turn left onto Murray Street Mall. Continue east along Murray Street and turn right onto Barrack Street. At the Hay Street Mall intersection, cross to the eastern side and continue east on Hay Street towards the Library.
DELIGHT AND HURT NOT (2016)
CITY OF PERTH LIBRARY, PERTH
ARTIST: Andrew Nicholls
Andrew Nicholls’ ceiling mural is based on the closing scene of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Fitting for a reverent space devoted to the pursuit of knowledge, the play’s main character, Prospero, gains magical powers from his library, equating books, and therefore knowledge, with power. The mural illustrates Western Australian native flora and fauna and every one of the 65 plants and 12 animals depicted is a threatened species. Visit perth.wa.gov.au for Library opening hours.
Image credit: Delight and Hurt Not by Andrew Nicholls, City of Perth Public Art Collection, image courtesy of Bewley Shaylor, December 2015
Walk down Cathedral Avenue towards St Georges Terrace.
ASCALON (2011)
CATHEDRAL SQUARE, PERTH
ARTISTS: Marcus Canning, Christian de Vietri
Named after St George’s lance of the legend, this commanding white sculpture that stands before St George’s Cathedral represents the triumph of good over evil, depicting St George’s cloak billowing around his lance after he has slain the dragon.
Image credit: Ascalon by Marcus Canning and Christian de Vietri, City of Perth Public Art Collection, image courtesy Emily Hordern, February 2018
Cross to the southern side of St Georges Terrace.
THE MOB - KANGAROOS ON THE TERRACE (1997)
ST GEORGES TERRACE, PERTH
ARTISTS: Joan Walsh-Smith, Charles Smith
This public artwork celebrates one of the world’s most unique animals: the kangaroo. Captured in full flight, having been startled as it were by the sudden appearance of noisy traffic – a vision from the future perhaps? – they bound through this highly structured modern urban space, like shadows from an ancient past, flashing across the inner eye; creating a startling visual counterpoint to their surroundings and an instant reminder that these magnificent creatures were migrating for millions of years through this area from the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) foreshore, up through the chain of lakes upon which the city was built less than 200 years ago.
Image credit: Kangaroos by Joan Walsh-Smith and Charles Smith, City of Perth Public Art Collection, image courtesy of Frances Andrijich Photography / Perth Public Art Foundation, 2016
Walk east along St Georges Terrace to the Concert Hall.
UNTITLED (1971)
PERTH CONCERT HALL, PERTH
ARTIST: Tom Sanders
Commissioned by architect Jeffrey Howlett for the official opening of Perth Concert Hall on 26 January 1973, this mural of ceramic tiles serves as a striking feature wall, inspired by the playful symbolism used by Spanish surrealist artist Joan Miro during the 1930s. Visit www.perthconcerthall.com.au for opening hours.
We hope you enjoyed the Art City Walking Trail.
