Silo Art

Sheep Hills, Victoria. My all time favourite. Artist: Adnate

A Von Blog.

In January 2020 we came across our first piece of Silo Art, it was at Yelarbon in Queensland and we, literally, came around a bend and saw this huge piece of art work on the side of a grain silo. Wow! Most silos are around 30m-40m high and, of course, tubular (is that even a word) so being able to paint an image that is both perspectively correct and 'good', hell that's something isn't it?

Yelarbon, Queensland. Our first introduction to silo art depicts a young boy at play when the 'drought breaks'. Artist: Jordache Castillejos & Jordan Bruce

The reason for me writing this particular blog is that the other week I completed a questionnaire for Griffith University researchers who are running the first ever national silo art survey to determine the impacts of this uniquely Australian art movement on both visitors and local communities.

There is no doubt silo art draws tourists, but the research aims to shed light on different aspects of silo art’s short and longer-term value. Department of Marketing researchers Dr Amelia Green and Professor Scott Weaven are focusing on the impacts of the art form on social, individual, community and financial wellbeing.

As I was answering the questions it caused me to reflect upon what seeing the silo art has done for us. We regularly discuss what the silo art may, or may not, be doing for the local community too.

The first piece of silo art in Australia was completed in Northam in Western Australia so we have yet to see it. "In April 2015 London artist Phlegm and Atlanta native HENSE gathered their paint tins, aerosols, rollers and brushes and struck out for a two week residency at Northam, the heritage town on the banks of the Avon River.

Across four huge silos, Phlegm perched on the extended arm of a boom lift, and using brushes strapped to a long pole, rendered his signature whimsical characters in fantastical transportation devices. HENSE, working simultaneously across an equal number of silos, produced his customary abstract patterns in explosive blocks of fluoro colour.

Meanwhile, the CBH grain trucks arrived and departed, and the site continued with business as usual – except – not quite. It’s not often you see a truckie pausing to lean out of his cab window to take a few photos – which he then says he’ll post on Facebook. But during this art frenzy, this was happening several times a day."

So if even truckies like it the there must be something in it? I have researched on line (even beyond Wiki!) and it would seem Australia really is the home of silo art. Certainly there are examples of large art work on the side of buildings and the like but the notion of painting a picture onto the side of a structure in the middle of nowhere, yep, that would appear to be truly Australian.

All of the artwork we have seen have some commonality. Invariably the artist will spend time in the community before starting the artwork. Usually this leads to the subject of the artwork whether that be animal, vegetable or mineral, being something unique to the locality. Actually, not many minerals to be fair. Some artwork reflects the past or the industry and some looks to the future. And then, with the aid of a cherrypicker or crane, a large amount of emulsion and spray paint the artwork takes shape over the course of a few weeks.

There appears to be a number of different methods to get the initial image onto the silo, usually involving a grid or a projection. Melbourne artist Rone (full name: Tyrone Wright) gets asked about this so often, he felt compelled to make a 10-minute YouTube tutorial about it.

And then what happens?

Well, people come to see it. And when they do, they might buy a coffee, they might get some fuel, they might have lunch at the pub or even stay the night. Or they might just drive on. But at least they've been. And it's likely all of those people will take photos to share with whanau and Facebook (other social media portals are available) which might mean more people come to see it and so on.

Monto, Queensland. The most northern silo art depicting the story of Three Moon Creek, one moon in the sky, one reflected in the creek and one reflected in the billy.
Artists: The Zookeeper & DRAPL

I am still considering whether a town has got something about it because there is silo art or there is silo art because the town has got something about it. And by 'something' I mean the type of people who want to engender the feeling of community. People who see a town is thriving and want to add to it or see a town which is dying and want to get some life support in.

We were recently in a town called Owen in SA. I am guessing at one time it was probably a thriving small town with a couple of pubs, a fuel station ('servo' if we are using the Aussie vernacular), some shops, sports teams and now? Not so much. It still has a Post Office which is open a couple of times a week and a pub and little else. But the 'movers and shakers' decided that the silos on the edge of town were ripe for a bit of colour and so engaged a local artist and a renowned silo artist to create art. We saw it about halfway through and it is now complete. It will be interesting to chart whether visitors to Owen increase. Perhaps more travellers will take the opportunity to stay in the free RV park by the disused Oval? And, hopefully, they will, like us, have a couple of drinks and a meal at the Owen Arms Hotel. Perhaps the Vintage Shop will open beyond just Saturday? I hope all these things occur. Owen seemed to have a feeling of 'hope' and I am pretty sure that stemmed from the art being created 29 metres up.

Owen, SA. 'Wheat bags to Sand bags'. The Artists: Robert Hannaford & Cam Scale

One of the survey questions was what advice would you give a town which was considering creating silo art. Good question; here are my thoughts.

Signage. If the signs to get people off the highway and to the art are poor (or non existent) then visitor numbers are unlikely to be high (and just because the silo can be seen from miles around does not necessarily mean drivers can navigate to it). And once at the silo, give plenty of information on boards. Like WHY was the art work done, WHO or WHAT is in the art work and WHY were they chosen, HOW was the art completed, WHO was the artist. Finally, WHAT else is there to do in the town? Given how QR codes have developed since Covid, I would have thought it must be relatively easy to create a QR code for the locality to entice people to stay (and spend a little money).

Parking. Goes without saying and yet some towns seem to get it wrong! Mud is not good...

Merriwa, NSW. Reflects the prime industry of the area (sheep) with the fun element of the red socks. Artist: David Lee Pereira

Access. Some of the grain silos are still working entities and so come with a myriad of Health & Safety regulations. Good signage and adequate parking should ensure people cannot get it wrong but if there's nowhere to get a good photo then people are far more likely to climb barriers and be where they should not be.

Bowen Water Tower, Queensland. There was a wire fence all around so no wonder the turtle looks grumpy. Artist: Phantast Cultural Music and Arts Association

Social Media. The Facebook site 'Australian Silo Art Trail Group' has over 200k members and is growing all the time. A local council with a bit of nous would be regularly monitoring the page and looking for pictures and comments about their own art work. A bit of subtle bumping wouldn't be wrong, eh?! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/Australiansiloarttrail/)

Anyway, that's my two pennies worth. Some of the art is so stunning and so of it's place and it will always remind me of our travels. Quintessentially Aussie, who else would be audacious enough to create something so big and yet, so far away from major populations? Just because they can.

Sealake, Victoria. the colours were stunning. Artists: Joel Fergie & Travis Vinson

Colbinabbin, Victoria. Trains and grain (and massive!). Artist: Tim Bowtell

As I was searching through the internet to find information for this piece I came across an article by the ABC about how a small town in Victoria had enticed a whole load of street artists to come and paint 'mini silos'. Which, if you recall our Facebook post in July), we had witnessed when we were travelling through Victoria. So, seeing the following brought a howl of laughter, get us, the 'international visitors'!