MASTERSTROKE // revamped classics

Newtown has always been a creative hub and the artwork on display is always changing, so it's worth taking a stroll to see what gems you find in the streets and laneways. Even the supermarket car park walls have been covered with paintings depicting the faces of the local people, but my favourite is the beautiful mural on the side of a terrace house next door. It covers the whole building but I was unable to capture it all with parked cars blocking the rest of the illustration. It shows a woman reclining surrounded by flowers, cats and birds with a stack of books at her feet (which I'll try to photograph another time if the car park is ever empty). The style and colours are reminiscent of Katsushika Hokusai's print 'The Great Wave Off Kanagawa'. Taking inspiration from his Japanese woodblock art, the line work is simple yet detailed and the colour palette uses a minimal but tonal range.

Venturing further I came upon other homages to famous artists like Toulouse-Lautrec and Vincent van Gogh. I love how this street art is inspired by renowned traditional artists but in a new expressive interpretation. Wolf&Kitten is the collaboration between Dolan Reskov and Juliette Furio, the artistic duo use paint and collage to create layered chaotic pieces. I'm loving how all these examples have revamped the classics in their own way and I'm looking forward to what I will discover next.