Deflated Skywhale turning motorists' heads on one of Melbourne's busiest streets

Updated February 14, 2014 19:34:52

Photo: Skywhale designer Patricia Piccinini shows off the billboards she designed at Bakehouse studio in Melbourne. (Supplied)

The commute down busy Hoddle Street in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond is dreaded by the thousands of motorists who make the trip each day.

But the slow grind has become a lot more interesting with the arrival of some new and somewhat controversial billboards.

Melbourne's Bakehouse music studios has handed over its walls to artists and now the city has its very own version of the Skywhale.

Helen Marcou from Bakehouse says the huge poster of a deflated hot air balloon has been sparking the interest of motorists all week.

"It's this majestic, silk, colourful, beautiful creature with big glorious breasts, so up close it's amazing and awe-inspiring," she said.

"For a lot of the people driving down Hoddle Street, a lot of the commuters, (there's been) a lot of jaw dropping and the sense of what is it."

The Bakehouse offered its walls to the Skywhale creator, Patricia Piccinini, who has also produced another huge and equally abstract painting that has been posted on the studio's wall.

Photo: Workers paste up the Skywhale billboards on Hoddle Street in Melbourne. (Supplied: Helen Marcou)

Ms Piccinini says it is a great opportunity to have her artwork displayed for free on one of Melbourne's busiest streets.

"Usually on the street you're told listen to this radio or buy this margerine, but these billboards don't do that," she said.

"They're just talking about ideas and the idea behind this work is look at this incredible, visceral, amorphous bodily form, isn't it kind of beautiful."

The display is part of a year long project by the music studio to give contemporary artists and the form of poster art more exposure.

Works from artists including musician Mick Turner of Dirty Three fame will also be displayed later in the year.

Ms Marcou hopes the displays will catch on.

"I'm hoping that other people on other major arterials that have got a big blank wall will consider putting up public art and supporting the poster format as a wonderful community service." she said.

The Skywhale billboard will be on display until the end of February, or until the weather ruins the pictures.

Topics: arts-and-entertainment, community-and-society, human-interest, melbourne-3000

First posted February 14, 2014 19:09:59