By Casey Neill
Artist Eddie Botha hopes two colourful creations in Dandenong will spread smiles and a sense of belonging.
Greater Dandenong Council commissioned two works for blank walls at its Thomas Street car park, one inside near the entrance and one on a window visible from the street.
Mr Botha said he created the first on-site over three days using newspapers and photos of local colour and scenery.
“It’s nice to be on-site and get the real vibe of the area,” he said.
The second came to life in his studio and features blocks of colour and dozens of small faces.
“My work is always about interaction,” Mr Botha said.
“They’re all different people, they’re all different cultures, but they all fit together.
“I used a lot of colours because it’s a very colourful place.”
He said the piece featured compartmentalised people to symbolise associations with distinct groups, but flowing lines connected them in a show of harmony.
“They fit together like a puzzle piece,” he said.
Mr Botha wants people who view the artworks to walk away with a sense of belonging.
“A smile as well. Just to brighten up the area and for them to feel like they belong here,” he said.
“We all do.”
He was born in South Africa, where he went through the apartheid, and then spent time in Asia where he felt like the odd one out. He found he fit in in Australia.
Mr Botha campaigned for more public art in Greater Dandenong during a period where he lived there, and was pleased to see progress.
“It’s got a lot of potential to bring people together,” he said.
“It speaks beyond cultures.”
The new work forms part of the council’s temporary public art collection, which aims to highlight undervalued spaces and create places of interest for people as they traverse the city.
