Dear Billionaires!
(above) Hey Elon Musk, you inspired me to create this street mural. Didn't you tweet that Pararsite was your favourite film of 2019?
The mural is based somewhere in Footscray, Australia. If you find it hard to read the text, here's a clearer version of it:
"Dear Billionaires (and your beloved capitalist system),
You may claim to love this film. You may even think you own it. But you have grown extremely rich off our blood, sweat and tears. Therefore it is our film. It forms part of our arsenal that will lead to your demise. That is why you can't fully understand the film. For you have produced your own grave diggers (that's us!).
Yours truly,
The Working Class"
The mural is based somewhere in Footscray, Australia. If you find it hard to read the text, here's a clearer version of it:
"Dear Billionaires (and your beloved capitalist system),
You may claim to love this film. You may even think you own it. But you have grown extremely rich off our blood, sweat and tears. Therefore it is our film. It forms part of our arsenal that will lead to your demise. That is why you can't fully understand the film. For you have produced your own grave diggers (that's us!).
Yours truly,
The Working Class"
New mural created early January, 2020, in support of protests against Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison.
Done! Somewhere along Lygon Street, Melbourne. Based on the video footage of the firefighter who said what so many are thinking! thanks to Eliza Greenhatch for the much needed assistance with this mural.
Don't forget to join protests against Scomo and his climate change deniers and coal industry lovers, this Friday, Jan 10th around Australia.
Link here: https://www.facebook.com/unistudentsforclimatejustice/
#bushfires #australiaburning #nswburning #australianbushfires #climatecatastrophe #systemchangenotclimatechange #vannishing #victorianbushfires #firefighters #sackscomo
Don't forget to join protests against Scomo and his climate change deniers and coal industry lovers, this Friday, Jan 10th around Australia.
Link here: https://www.facebook.com/unistudentsforclimatejustice/
#bushfires #australiaburning #nswburning #australianbushfires #climatecatastrophe #systemchangenotclimatechange #vannishing #victorianbushfires #firefighters #sackscomo
A New Year's Eve Mural for Melbourne!! 2020
A brand new mural!
Happy New Year - 2020
"This is offensive!", quipped the anti-graffiti Moonee Valley Council representative as I was finishing up this 11m x 4m mural somewhere in Melbourne.
"What is more offensive?", I replied. "Millions being choked from bush fire smoke in Sydney, or this mural?"
I wanted to go on: "And what of the deaths of fire fighters?", but he bantered about the illegality of the piece, and to scare me, was threatening to call the cops (even though I had permission to create it). Either way they would be painting over it asap when they returned with the anti-graffiti vehicle.
Lucky the artwork was finished. I imagined continuing the debate QandA style as I drove off:
"What is more offensive? PM Scott Morrison ignoring the declaration of many scientists and firefighters that climate change is real and the catastrophe is now!?...And the fact that he refuses to pay all volunteer fire fighters a decent, living wage, while continually attacking the wages of all workers, and berating unemployed and homeless people while newstart barely pays rent?
What about how Sydney's NYE fireworks display is going ahead simply because millions of dollars have already been transacted, ignoring the real dangers faced by so many in the Sydney region?
What about the fact that Australia is the biggest exporter of coal internationally, continuing to add a great deal of CO2 into the atmosphere, further exacerbating climate change? Where does this offensiveness end?
Billions is being spent per year on the imaginary threat of refugees and hundreds of billions on military hardware, while the real, existing, catastrophic terror is literally burning us alive in our loungeroom and workpkace? We know, without a doubt, where this money could be well spent. But market forces are dictating otherwise. Big corporations want their massive profits to continue flowing with little disruption, and within that process, governments are tightly bound, right down to local government transactions that make strangulatory private property laws seem part of nature. The climate change induced fires and floods around the world are pulling these elements further apart and revealing a capitalist system in perpetual crisis. It literally can't sustain us. We have no choice to fight against it before it consumes us and takes away our kid's futures. In conclusion, it is not offensive or barbaric at all to fight back. It is extremely logical and smart, and (catastrophically) important.
So excuse me if you find this mural offensive."
Happy New Year - 2020
"This is offensive!", quipped the anti-graffiti Moonee Valley Council representative as I was finishing up this 11m x 4m mural somewhere in Melbourne.
"What is more offensive?", I replied. "Millions being choked from bush fire smoke in Sydney, or this mural?"
I wanted to go on: "And what of the deaths of fire fighters?", but he bantered about the illegality of the piece, and to scare me, was threatening to call the cops (even though I had permission to create it). Either way they would be painting over it asap when they returned with the anti-graffiti vehicle.
Lucky the artwork was finished. I imagined continuing the debate QandA style as I drove off:
"What is more offensive? PM Scott Morrison ignoring the declaration of many scientists and firefighters that climate change is real and the catastrophe is now!?...And the fact that he refuses to pay all volunteer fire fighters a decent, living wage, while continually attacking the wages of all workers, and berating unemployed and homeless people while newstart barely pays rent?
What about how Sydney's NYE fireworks display is going ahead simply because millions of dollars have already been transacted, ignoring the real dangers faced by so many in the Sydney region?
What about the fact that Australia is the biggest exporter of coal internationally, continuing to add a great deal of CO2 into the atmosphere, further exacerbating climate change? Where does this offensiveness end?
Billions is being spent per year on the imaginary threat of refugees and hundreds of billions on military hardware, while the real, existing, catastrophic terror is literally burning us alive in our loungeroom and workpkace? We know, without a doubt, where this money could be well spent. But market forces are dictating otherwise. Big corporations want their massive profits to continue flowing with little disruption, and within that process, governments are tightly bound, right down to local government transactions that make strangulatory private property laws seem part of nature. The climate change induced fires and floods around the world are pulling these elements further apart and revealing a capitalist system in perpetual crisis. It literally can't sustain us. We have no choice to fight against it before it consumes us and takes away our kid's futures. In conclusion, it is not offensive or barbaric at all to fight back. It is extremely logical and smart, and (catastrophically) important.
So excuse me if you find this mural offensive."
(below) An interior mural was created for the recent exhibition by me and Slim at No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, Australia!
This mural was a response to the current mega bushfires engulfing Australia's east coast and how the politicians of the two major parties are doing nothing to build mass resistance to the destructive effects of climate change. Native koala bears have been killed on masse - here is one taking revenge on Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison for promoting the coal industry!
This mural was a response to the current mega bushfires engulfing Australia's east coast and how the politicians of the two major parties are doing nothing to build mass resistance to the destructive effects of climate change. Native koala bears have been killed on masse - here is one taking revenge on Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison for promoting the coal industry!
(below) a mock up painting on scrap cardboard for the #chiledesperto mural (see further below) inspired by a famous photo of the mass anti-neoliberalism protests happening in Chile (oct-nov-dec, 2019)
(below) Mural in Australia in solidarity with the mass protests in Chile, Oct - Nov-Dec, 2019! #chiledesperto #renunciapinera
The location: Brock Way Carpark, Kensington, Australia!
The location: Brock Way Carpark, Kensington, Australia!
(below) A new mural fighting the forced deportations of refugees goes up in Melbourne, Australia!
(See this post I used for my instagram account): Just finished this mural this morning in support of the #stopdeportationstodanger campaign. Airline companies like #qantas doing Australian Govt dirty work by forcfully deporting refugees to danger and persecution. The mural is in Brock Way car park, Kensington if ya wanna check it out!
#stopdeportationstodanger #spiritofaustralia #qantas #virgin #skytraders
#freetherefugees
#hometobilo #bringthemhere #letthemstay #vantrudd #politicalartist #politicalmurals
(Below is a statement about the #StopDeportationsToDanger Campaign)
"The Australian Government is forcibly deporting refugees and asylum seekers back to danger.
And who does Peter Dutton rely on to help? Australian airlines.
In some cases these people are being whisked away in the dead of night before their lawyers or the courts can intervene. Many are being separated from their loved ones.
If Qantas, Virgin and Skytraders stand up to Dutton — like American airlines stood up to Trump and British Airways stood up to the UK government -- we deal a real blow to the system of forced deportations and refugee cruelty that Dutton has enshrined.
The Stop Deportations to Danger campaign calls for Australian airlines (Virgin, Qantas and Skytraders) to not participate in forced deportations and domestic transfers between places of indefinite detention.
It builds on the incredible work of the Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants’ campaign in the UK which resulted in Virgin Atlantic stopping all deportation activities on its network.
This campaign is supported by award winning journalist and author, Behrouz Boochani, hip hop goddess MIA and a growing list of prominent Australians."
#stopdeportationstodanger #spiritofaustralia #qantas #virgin #skytraders
#freetherefugees
#hometobilo #bringthemhere #letthemstay #vantrudd #politicalartist #politicalmurals
(Below is a statement about the #StopDeportationsToDanger Campaign)
"The Australian Government is forcibly deporting refugees and asylum seekers back to danger.
And who does Peter Dutton rely on to help? Australian airlines.
In some cases these people are being whisked away in the dead of night before their lawyers or the courts can intervene. Many are being separated from their loved ones.
If Qantas, Virgin and Skytraders stand up to Dutton — like American airlines stood up to Trump and British Airways stood up to the UK government -- we deal a real blow to the system of forced deportations and refugee cruelty that Dutton has enshrined.
The Stop Deportations to Danger campaign calls for Australian airlines (Virgin, Qantas and Skytraders) to not participate in forced deportations and domestic transfers between places of indefinite detention.
It builds on the incredible work of the Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants’ campaign in the UK which resulted in Virgin Atlantic stopping all deportation activities on its network.
This campaign is supported by award winning journalist and author, Behrouz Boochani, hip hop goddess MIA and a growing list of prominent Australians."
Unprecedented! (below) A very rare occasion a construction union mural goes up inside a construction site.
It's all done! Added another photo to show the scale of it. See below some words from a previous post.
"Union Mural Inside City Construction Site .... This one's for all the workers, women and men, doing it tough out there on construction sites, building everything from roads, schools, to high rise office spaces, trying to make it home safely, while the ruling class continues it's anti-worker, anti-union tirade! The placement of this piece of art could be unprecedented given the level of the Federal Government's attacks on the construction union in Australia in recent times and their use of the ABCC (Australian Building and Construction Commission) to police union activity, while trying to undermine wages and conditions. This is an attack on all workers, male and female across all industries! And the Federal Government is trying everything it can to deregister the union. This CFMEU mural (approx 5m x 3m in size) is currently being developed inside a large construction site in Melbourne. Watch for more posts as it's not yet finished!
"Union Mural Inside City Construction Site .... This one's for all the workers, women and men, doing it tough out there on construction sites, building everything from roads, schools, to high rise office spaces, trying to make it home safely, while the ruling class continues it's anti-worker, anti-union tirade! The placement of this piece of art could be unprecedented given the level of the Federal Government's attacks on the construction union in Australia in recent times and their use of the ABCC (Australian Building and Construction Commission) to police union activity, while trying to undermine wages and conditions. This is an attack on all workers, male and female across all industries! And the Federal Government is trying everything it can to deregister the union. This CFMEU mural (approx 5m x 3m in size) is currently being developed inside a large construction site in Melbourne. Watch for more posts as it's not yet finished!
(below) New freshly painting mural in response to the Australian Government's deliberate intrusion into press freedom. June 6th, 2019.
(above and below) Here's the information that was posted on Instagram: Freshly painted in @hosierla Melbourne's CBD, today. Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton claim they know nothing about the AFP raids on the ABC. LoL. Whatever the case, they preside over the increased state surveillance of our lives. Read this article for a more detailed analysis: Press Freedom Under Attack from Red Flag.
#australianfederalpolice#scottmorrison #peterdutton #auspol#surveillancestate #capitalismsux#pressfreedom #freeassange#freejulianassange#freechelseamanning #journalism#filedownloads #usbsticks #vantrudd#vanthanhrudd #politicalartists#politicalmurals
#australianfederalpolice#scottmorrison #peterdutton #auspol#surveillancestate #capitalismsux#pressfreedom #freeassange#freejulianassange#freechelseamanning #journalism#filedownloads #usbsticks #vantrudd#vanthanhrudd #politicalartists#politicalmurals
(above) The mural was used as a cover for a feature article by Junkee on June 6th, 2019.
(below) Some fans taking a photo in from of the mural during a very busy day in Hosier Lane, Melbourne, Australia.
(below) Some fans taking a photo in from of the mural during a very busy day in Hosier Lane, Melbourne, Australia.
(below) Famous image of recent Sudan Uprising gets painted on wall in Australia (April, 2019)
(above) Had to capture some of that revolutionary spirit coming out of Sudan, and create a mural (in Australia) of the image of Alaa Salah, a 22-year-old architecture student in Khartoum. She was speaking revolutionary poems and singing to small and large crowds. Now that the masses have removed Omar Al Bashir from power, people have been steadfast in ignoring the curfews of the military. Inspiring stuff! If you want to visit the mural it's in Brock Way car park, Flemington, Victoria, Australia.
#SudanUprising #SudanRevolt#Sudan_Uprising #SudanProtests#revolutionarypoems #revolutionaryart#melbournestreetart#vantrudd#vanthanhrudd #politicalmurals#urbanart #rebellion #khartoum
#SudanUprising #SudanRevolt#Sudan_Uprising #SudanProtests#revolutionarypoems #revolutionaryart#melbournestreetart#vantrudd#vanthanhrudd #politicalmurals#urbanart #rebellion #khartoum
(Read further below) Important mural goes up in Melbourne's CBD
(above) If you're on your way to work in Melbourne CBD this morning (March 18th, 2019), here's a gift for you in Hosier Lane. This mural just HAD to be done! A tribute to #eggboy and his glorious response to Australian politician #fraseranning 's support of extreme right wing terror. Don't forget the protest against right wing extremism in Melbourne this Tuesday, 5.30pm too!! Solidarity with Muslims, refugees, migrants!
#christchurchshooting#newzealandshooting
#fightracism #freetherefugees
#fuckfascism #fuckdonaldtrump#standwithmuslims
#socialmediaheroes #politicalartist#vantrudd #politicalmural#eggsforbreakfast
#christchurchshooting#newzealandshooting
#fightracism #freetherefugees
#fuckfascism #fuckdonaldtrump#standwithmuslims
#socialmediaheroes #politicalartist#vantrudd #politicalmural#eggsforbreakfast
(Below) Mural featuring Greta Thunberg arrives in Kensington, Australia!
(above) This street mural (in Brock Way car park, Kensington, Victoria, Australia) is of young political activist Greta Thunberg from Sweden, fighting to stop global warming and climate change. She speaks to the top-hat capitalist who's holding onto our planet earth: "You have ignored us in the past...you will ignore us again...change is coming whether you like it or not." These words are based on one of her many quotes that are quite precise and without equivocation when she speaks to world leaders and the rich, whom have an interest in keeping the economic system as it is - profit driven and hense, environmentally destructive.
(below) New Climate Change Mural in Hosier Lane, Melbourne, Australia.
As promised a long time ago (on instagram), this mural has now been done!! It's at Hosier Lane, in Melbourne's CBD. The speech bubble says: "We want more learning and less activism in schools....Don't we, my precious".
Taken from PM Scott Morrison's support of the coal industry (taking piece of coal into parliament) and his attack on school students organising school strikes against climate change. Also given that there was recent flooding in Queensland, out of control bushfires in Tasmania, NSW, and Victoria right now, and of course a heatwave smashing us too in South Australia and Victoria...No wonder we're protesting March 15th.
#schoolstrikeforclimate #capitalismsux #systemchange #vantrudd #vanthanhrudd #scottmorrison #climatedisaster #sydneyfloods #queenslandfires #gretathunberg #climatestrike #politicalmurals #satiricalart #scottmorrison
Taken from PM Scott Morrison's support of the coal industry (taking piece of coal into parliament) and his attack on school students organising school strikes against climate change. Also given that there was recent flooding in Queensland, out of control bushfires in Tasmania, NSW, and Victoria right now, and of course a heatwave smashing us too in South Australia and Victoria...No wonder we're protesting March 15th.
#schoolstrikeforclimate #capitalismsux #systemchange #vantrudd #vanthanhrudd #scottmorrison #climatedisaster #sydneyfloods #queenslandfires #gretathunberg #climatestrike #politicalmurals #satiricalart #scottmorrison
(below) New mural on climate change in Kensington, Melbourne, Australia.
Look what was immortalised on a wall in Kensington today! A street art homage to an eye catching placard at the last #schoolstrike4climate in Australia, saying "We'll be less activist if you'll be less shit".
These high school students (among many others) were responding to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's statement that students should stay at school instead of protesting on the streets. It was part of so many other amazing placards created by students at the last #studentstrike4climate #climatestrike in 2018. Now everyone's gearing up for the next one on March 15th, 2019. No doubt there'll be more creativity bursting at the seams.
#climatechange #capitalistcrisis #globalwarming #gretathunberg #systemchange #systemchangenotclimatechange #climatechangeart #classwar #wallartwork #streetartmelbourne #activismandart
These high school students (among many others) were responding to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's statement that students should stay at school instead of protesting on the streets. It was part of so many other amazing placards created by students at the last #studentstrike4climate #climatestrike in 2018. Now everyone's gearing up for the next one on March 15th, 2019. No doubt there'll be more creativity bursting at the seams.
#climatechange #capitalistcrisis #globalwarming #gretathunberg #systemchange #systemchangenotclimatechange #climatechangeart #classwar #wallartwork #streetartmelbourne #activismandart
WARNING: Highly Dangerous Gang Leaders! (see below)
(above) A new mural by Victorian Socialists member Van T Rudd. “As promised, this has just gone up in Kensington, Victoria, Australia. Behind Doutta Gala Hotel, Brock Way car park. Hope it lasts a little longer than a day LoL. Text says:‘Warning: Highly Dangerous Criminal Gang Leaders. Wanted for: Stoking racism to win elections; Using racism to divide and distract us as they steal from the poor and give to the rich’.Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton once again have fabricated 'African Gangs' hysteria. We all know who the gangsters are don't we. Don't forget there's a protest in solidarity with the African Community in Melbourne, 2pm, Channel 7 headquarters. See this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/199701817324202/?ti=cl$
(Above) This is a screenshot of Junkee article about the above mural. WOW! it reached over 15,000 shares! I guess people love to see these crims as .... well... criminals LoL. See that article here!
(below) Mural in Australia shows defiance against mainstream forces.
(above and below) As promised, this mural has been created at Brock Way car park, (behind Doutta Gala Hotel) Kensington, Melbourne, Australia. While painting it, some passers by were very happy to see it, and recognised the person in the image because they'd been following the news around Israel's ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory and the massacre of Gazans. This mural is a dedication to the people of Palestine as well as others around the world who understand that if you're treated like you don't exist by mainstream media, and the most powerful military forces in the world strategically seek to gradually annihilate you, you will fight back with whatever means you have. Find out more about the situation by reading this article in Red Flag.
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The text on the mural reads:
"Palestinian Fadi Abusalah lost his legs after an Israeli air strike destroyed his home in 2014..................In May 2018, he was shot by an IDF sniper and lost his life".
#JerusalemIsTheCapitalOfPalestine #freepalestin #marchofreturn2018 #apartheidwall #fadiabusalah #freeahedtamimi #politicalmurals #vantrudd#kensingtonflats #gazamassacre #apartheidisrael
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The text on the mural reads:
"Palestinian Fadi Abusalah lost his legs after an Israeli air strike destroyed his home in 2014..................In May 2018, he was shot by an IDF sniper and lost his life".
#JerusalemIsTheCapitalOfPalestine #freepalestin #marchofreturn2018 #apartheidwall #fadiabusalah #freeahedtamimi #politicalmurals #vantrudd#kensingtonflats #gazamassacre #apartheidisrael
(below) Just Another War on the Poor: An urban contribution to the critique of ruling class
This mural about the Royal Wedding of 2018 between Prince Harry and Meghan existed for a short time along St Georges Rd, Preston, Australia on the actual wedding date (19th May, AEST). To me this mural is an obvious critique of the parasitic nature of the elites - especially the royals who can easily spend millions on a wedding and not stress one bit about where the money comes from. This is while billions of people around the world go starving.
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(left and above)Just showing you here the early stages of the mural production. I use a long paint roller (3 metre extension) to reach the high areas to draw so I don't have to use a ladder. The other picture shows the finished mural from a lower angle.
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(below) A mural that fight for the rights of Refugees in Australia goes up in Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
(above) This refugee mural is located on the corner of Waterloo St and Lygon St, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
Words from my Instagram Account:
"This mural is dedicated to the fight to free a refugee family taken from a small Queensland town called Biloela. They were pulled from a plane overnight (couple of weeks ago), just minutes before they were due to be deported.
Border force officials removed Tamils Nadesalingam, Priya and their two Australian-born daughters from Biloela and put them in a Melbourne detention centre.
They're being threatened with deportation by the Australian government. They've been living in Biloela, have been a crucial part of the community, and should be allowed to stay. They've done nothing wrong, yet the govt wants to send them back to Sri Lanka where their lives will be at severe risk."
See below some of the great responses on Instagram to the mural:
#letthemstay #freetherefugees#fuckpeterdutton #bringthemhere #rac#vantrudd #politicalartist #tiakass#endmandatorydetention
Words from my Instagram Account:
"This mural is dedicated to the fight to free a refugee family taken from a small Queensland town called Biloela. They were pulled from a plane overnight (couple of weeks ago), just minutes before they were due to be deported.
Border force officials removed Tamils Nadesalingam, Priya and their two Australian-born daughters from Biloela and put them in a Melbourne detention centre.
They're being threatened with deportation by the Australian government. They've been living in Biloela, have been a crucial part of the community, and should be allowed to stay. They've done nothing wrong, yet the govt wants to send them back to Sri Lanka where their lives will be at severe risk."
See below some of the great responses on Instagram to the mural:
- justinemcnamara_art If only the government could work as fast as you do in making this happen! Love your work 🙌🏻
- pellis6023So awesome man keep it up, so much love and respect for your work!!!
- sam_harlow_black_ A beautiful tribute to a family in such turmoil. These people should be welcomed not turned away. It’s frightening to think of what it might be like if my own family was in this position. Do these government people not even consider that? I wish there was a way to get this done and send them back to their life here where they contribute are happy and belong. I don’t understand ..... this is not our people and our way of life. We share, we welcome, we are mates...
- alexbhathal thank you Van. x
- currpamela Fantastic
- vnttj This is a reenactment of the Nancy Prasad story from the White Australia Policy times. When will they learn?
#letthemstay #freetherefugees#fuckpeterdutton #bringthemhere #rac#vantrudd #politicalartist #tiakass#endmandatorydetention
(Below) Mural for striking wharfies who want an end to dangerous conditions! For more details on this strike based on Melbourne's docks see this article: redflag.org.au/node/6276
(above) A striking dock worker uses their car to light up the mural painting zone. Love it!
(Above) Say no more! Wharf workers demanding better pay and conditions!
(above) In the middle of the production process - that's why the photo is blurry LoL
(Below) A new mural hits Footscray - and it's got to do with social media
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(Left) Somehow the mural ended up on a local rag. (Above) Here's a daytime shot.
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(Below) Just had to do a mural about a social media multi-billionaire and how they sell off our private data to other billionaires! This one was in Waterloo St, Carlton (close to Lygon St), Melbourne, Australia.
(Below) March 19th, 2018, a mural based on Australia's conservative Prime Minister is completed in the early hours of Monday morning, March 19th.
(above) Why did I create a mural based on Liberal Party Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull? I have been wanting to do it for a long time for a few reasons. Turnbull is yet another example of how the wealthy minor layer of society gain positions of power (let alone abuse they're pre-existing economic power as millionaires/billionaires). His history is not one that relates to the average wage worker. He was a merchant banker and director of Goldman Sachs in the 1990s. I therefore felt there was enough reason here alone to create this satirical portrayal of someone who is deemed as level headed and respectable politician. He must be shown injecting himself with the very things that keep him alive (that keeps the rest of the 1% running too), and those 'substances' place so much burden and oppression upon the rest of the poorer population. I will write more soon....just feeling a little exhausted now.
(below) #FreeAhedTamimi mural now stands in Northern Suburbs of Melbourne, Australia.
(above) This is a more close-up view of a #freeahedtamimi mural based in Australia! It is located in the suburb of Coburg, Victoria, Australia).
Supporters on instagram and Facebook prefered this image of Ahed Tamimi on a wall. As per previous posts, I promised I would do another #freeahedtamimi mural but this time in a more positive light (after a previous one satirising Wonder Woman actor #galgadot).
Ahed Tamimi is Palestinian child resistance fighter from Nabi Saleh who is currently being held in an Israeli prison for daring to fight back against occupation forces with her fists. Many of her relatives and friends have either been killed, maimed or imprisoned by occupation forces, so using fists is no where near as violent as fully equipped IDF soldiers. Yet she faces years in prison like hundreds of other Palestinians.
#freeahedtamimi
#freepalestine
#vantrudd #politicalartist#endtheoccupation #endapartheid#apartheidwall #apartheidisrael
Supporters on instagram and Facebook prefered this image of Ahed Tamimi on a wall. As per previous posts, I promised I would do another #freeahedtamimi mural but this time in a more positive light (after a previous one satirising Wonder Woman actor #galgadot).
Ahed Tamimi is Palestinian child resistance fighter from Nabi Saleh who is currently being held in an Israeli prison for daring to fight back against occupation forces with her fists. Many of her relatives and friends have either been killed, maimed or imprisoned by occupation forces, so using fists is no where near as violent as fully equipped IDF soldiers. Yet she faces years in prison like hundreds of other Palestinians.
#freeahedtamimi
#freepalestine
#vantrudd #politicalartist#endtheoccupation #endapartheid#apartheidwall #apartheidisrael
(below) #FreeAhedTamimi mural (Wide Shot)
(below) Mural about the #schoolshooting at #marjorystonemandouglashighschool the first to be painted in Australia. This image is based upon the person who carried out the act of terror - Nicolas Cruz. The photo below shows the stage of the mural without the text. Scroll further below to see more about the mural.
(below) Just had to do this mural in the early hours of this morning (Sunday Feb 18), in response to the recent events in Florida, USA, at the#marjorystonemandouglashighschool .
(above) Just had to do this mural in the early hours of this morning (Sunday Feb 18), in response to the recent events in Florida, USA, at the#marjorystonemandouglashighschool . The mural is located at the corner of Webb and Smith Street, Fitzroy, Australia. Why wasn't it an act of terror? The USA is in such a mess on many fronts, a major one being heightened inequality - the rich getting richer and the poor, poorer. The 1% and the State continue to use racism to divide the working class and poor. And of course, the profits made by weapons companies outweighs human suffering. In this environment, it is always the people with darker skin - African Americans, latinx, Asians (and on top of that if you're Muslim), that are exposed to more prisons, deportations, and general race-based stigmas. And the US Administration will continue to use this to justify continued invasions abroad. Isn't it more clear than ever, the working masses and poor, no matter the colour, need to unite to fight the extreme right wing terror that #donaldtrump actively promotes?
#floridalife #floridausa #gunlaws#fightracism #fckdnld #fightcapitalism#noroomforracism #freetherefugees#nowallnoban #muslimban #nomuslimban#floridashooting #parklandhighschool
#floridalife #floridausa #gunlaws#fightracism #fckdnld #fightcapitalism#noroomforracism #freetherefugees#nowallnoban #muslimban #nomuslimban#floridashooting #parklandhighschool
(Above) I've been wanting to create a #FreeAhedTamimi mural for a while, and was inspired by the many artists around the world who've expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian struggle against Israel's brutal occupation of Palestine, and particularly what 16 year old Ahed Tamimi symbolizes to younger and new audiences around the world. The text on the mural reads: "Even Wonder Woman is trained to imprison Palestinian children". (Please excuse the spelling mistake! I have written 'imrison' instead of 'imprison'.)
Before explaining why Wonder Woman is used in this mural, Christopher Anderton, from Red Flag writes about Ahed Tamimi :
"Ahed Tamimi, a 16 year old Palestinian activist from the village of Nabi Saleh in the West Bank will be sentenced up to 10 years in prison for slapping and shoving an Israeli soldier if found guilty by a military tribunal."
"Ahed's situation is commonplace. The Israeli military detains on average two Palestinian teens per night, and Ahed is one of more than 450 Palestinians held in indefinite 'administrative detention'."
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To read more of this article, click here.
Wonder Woman is used in the mural to satirize the Israeli actor Gal Gadot who played Wonder Woman in the 2017 global movie release. She was trained by the Israeli Defense Force and is known to stand by the IDF's mission of repressing Palestinian people. For the general context of this, you can read this article.
When creating this mural, on an aesthetic level, I chose use a slight bit of anamorphism, where you can view it at the location from an angle where the mural will appear clearer as opposed to if you were standing directly in front of it. This was partly a logistical tactic because you can't really view the whole mural properly when standing directly in from of it because of a lack of space.
(below) A tribute mural to hip-hop group A.B. Original
(below) Anti-Trump Mural in Melbourne's Censored by local Council
(above) The Censoring of my #Trumptank mural (corner Bunbury and Moreland Streets, Footscray, Australia). Please read this article by Star Weekly for a fuller story and other art that has been censored by the local council.
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(below) This mural called "Dutton - Border Stalker" was completed early November, 2017. It is located on a very busy street - the corner of Webb and Smith Streets Collingwood, Victoria, Australia. The mural refers to Immigration Minister of Australia Peter Dutton who is directly responsible for the extremely harsh and violent treatment of refugees on the offshore prison on Manus Island. For further information read this article from Red Flag: https://redflag.org.au/node/5976
The text on the mural reads: Dutton Border Stalker. Capability: Terror, Fuel: Racism / Economic Breakdown, Target: Refugees, Cost: $3 Billion p.a.
The text on the mural reads: Dutton Border Stalker. Capability: Terror, Fuel: Racism / Economic Breakdown, Target: Refugees, Cost: $3 Billion p.a.
(below) Below are some pencil sketches that show my concept development for the mural. As you can see, I didn't include the refugees in the foreground in the final mural because I wanted to convey that the viewer was subject to Dutton's wrath.
(below) Mural at my old high school!
Here's me standing in front of a new mural (completed November 17, 2017) at Nambour State College, Queensland, Australia. This was the high school I used to go to, so it was a pleasure to create this for the students and staff. I would love to have seen a mural like this being painted when I was a student at this school. This is probably one of my more cryptic murals because of certain constraints placed on the creative process. The mobile phone in the mural incorporates an actual window into it (see early photos of wall in "street mural" section of this site), and I've used this as a tool to delve deep into our consciousness as human beings, alienated and struggling to survive individually inside this harsh, unforgiving economic system called capitalism. The extremely high cost of living (eg. high rent costs) is crippling many poor families of working class background. That's the life of many young people (sadly increasing), yet we're clearly not alone in this, and that's why I've painted the rest of the wall with a large concrete barrier that is being broken by people working together. So, the phone isn't really a bad thing either, as we need it to communicate, and it does spread knowledge quickly between friends about world-wide events. The wall here references the apartheid wall that the state of Israel maintains to crush the freedoms of Palestinians. The wall is also symbolic of the barrier that the US administration uses to crush the spirit of Mexicans as they attempt to migrate over the border into the USA. In a nutshell, the wall represents how the ruling class tries to divide us all, and therefore disable us from creating a better world.
Here's me standing in front of a new mural (completed November 17, 2017) at Nambour State College, Queensland, Australia. This was the high school I used to go to, so it was a pleasure to create this for the students and staff. I would love to have seen a mural like this being painted when I was a student at this school. This is probably one of my more cryptic murals because of certain constraints placed on the creative process. The mobile phone in the mural incorporates an actual window into it (see early photos of wall in "street mural" section of this site), and I've used this as a tool to delve deep into our consciousness as human beings, alienated and struggling to survive individually inside this harsh, unforgiving economic system called capitalism. The extremely high cost of living (eg. high rent costs) is crippling many poor families of working class background. That's the life of many young people (sadly increasing), yet we're clearly not alone in this, and that's why I've painted the rest of the wall with a large concrete barrier that is being broken by people working together. So, the phone isn't really a bad thing either, as we need it to communicate, and it does spread knowledge quickly between friends about world-wide events. The wall here references the apartheid wall that the state of Israel maintains to crush the freedoms of Palestinians. The wall is also symbolic of the barrier that the US administration uses to crush the spirit of Mexicans as they attempt to migrate over the border into the USA. In a nutshell, the wall represents how the ruling class tries to divide us all, and therefore disable us from creating a better world.
(above) View from the left side of mural
(above) Here's me in front (photo by M. Dryden)
(above) Detail of left side of mural
(above) Detail of right side of mural
(above) Here's the wall and the window in the early stages of development
(below) #Trumptank mural hits the streets of Footscray, Australia
(above) Here's a #trumptank mural (10 metres long x 5 metres high) completed early November 2017, on Bunbury Street, Footscray, Victoria, Australia. It features American Footballer and anti-racism activist Colin Kaepernick (number 7) and local Footscray Resident Ricardo Jorquera (second from left). Slowly but surely, I'm introducing more characters into the #trumptank murals and paintings to show that global resistance will hopefully keep growing against the US administration, the capitalist class, and their aggressive agenda waged on the people of the USA and world-wide.
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(below) A mural for the workers at ESSO/UGL Longford picket line goes up near Longford, Victoria, Australia, in the winter of 2017! Since June 2017 (until 2019) these defiant workers are still on the picket after 600 days! You can support the protest here or read further about it here.
(Above) the workers put up some great lighting on top of the mural! How cool is that?! That's fatcat the capitalist deflated there on the tarp - a blowup sculpture used by the workers and their unions for protests. I stayed there a night and had a great time telling stories and having some beers. I tell you what, their heating system was awesome - cos it was fucking cold down there! (see below)
(above) As you can see I'm rugged up - the weather was pretty hectic - cold and blowing a gale. That's the beginning stages of the mural. The workers on site constructed the mural using wood ply sheeting with some reinforcement and set up the scaffolding.
(Below) A rough pencil sketch I based the mural on. It's meant to be an ESSO billionaire boss smoking a cigar on top of a gas platform while workers struggle to hold him up.
(below) Anti-Pauline Hanson mural in Footscray, Australia, censored for being 'offensive'.
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#trumptank mural is unleashed on the streets of Melbourne (and Chicago, USA)!
(above) #trumptank projected onto wall opposite Trump Towers in Chicago, USA, July 2017, by activist group refusefascism.org
(above) The first #trumptank mural to hit the streets. Hosier Lane, Melbourne, June, 2017. (photo by Dean Sunshine)
(above) The first #trumptank mural in Hosier Lane, of Melbourne, June, 2017.
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(above) An early concept drawing - pencil on paper, 2017
(above) An early concept drawing - pencil on paper, 2017
(below) Bunnings workers versus the bosses. (Low paid workers versus large corporations.) Completed May 2017.
(Above and below)
This mural features workers from one of the biggest chain corporations in Australia: Bunnings (which is a subsidiary of Wesfarmers). The hardware store workers have taken hold of some of the tools inside the warehouses to defend themselves against the billionaire corporate rats. It is within the context of the recent official cuts to penalty rates that will see worker's rights to extra weekend pay further reduced. This mural was designed by Van T Rudd and painted on the wall by Van T Rudd and Steve May. The mural is about 20 metres long and 2 metres high. See below the centre, left and right ends of the mural. And see below a short video of the mural and a map link if you'd like to know its exact location.
This mural features workers from one of the biggest chain corporations in Australia: Bunnings (which is a subsidiary of Wesfarmers). The hardware store workers have taken hold of some of the tools inside the warehouses to defend themselves against the billionaire corporate rats. It is within the context of the recent official cuts to penalty rates that will see worker's rights to extra weekend pay further reduced. This mural was designed by Van T Rudd and painted on the wall by Van T Rudd and Steve May. The mural is about 20 metres long and 2 metres high. See below the centre, left and right ends of the mural. And see below a short video of the mural and a map link if you'd like to know its exact location.
(Above) Bunnings workers against the bosses and cuts to penalty rates (right side of mural) (May 2017), by Van T Rudd and Steve May
Where to find this mural? It's close to Northcote Train Station, on Scott St, Northcote, Melbourne, Australia (See google maps below). If you're too lazy to go to the exact location on foot, you can see it from the Train as you go by!
(below) #BringthemHere refugee mural hits the laneways of Melbourne's Western suburbs
Where exactly is this Refugee mural? Please see the map below:
(below) Trump-Tank image is finally a mural!
(Above) The Trump-Tank has finally become a mural. it was exhibited from April 13th to April 16 for the annual Marxism Conference 2017, in Melbourne along with great murals by Sam Wallman and Slimone. Over 1,000 people attended this unique and radical left wing event.
Although this mural was indoors, the next one will be in a public place. I will keep you posted. Cheers.
(Below) New #CUB55 mural at Trades Hall, Victoria, Australia
(Above and below) This 15 metre long mural at Trades Hall Victoria (carpark) commemorates the victory of ordinary workers versus the ruling elites. It is based on the sackings of 55 Carlton United Brewery workers (#CUB55) by the CUB corporation. The workers were invited back to work on a 65% pay reduction, but they said NO and with the help of their unions waged a fight back using strikes, pickets (see images below) and boycotts to force the company to allow them to go back to work with full pay and conditions. Well, after 6 long months...they won. I was fortunate enough to be invited to paint the initial protest murals on the picket site shipping containers (see images further below). The image below show the mural at Trades Hall in its entirety.
Where is this mural? See below for exact location of the mural (Victorian Trades Hall carpark)
(below) Murals in support of the #CUB55 completed (dec 2016)
(above) This is me at work painting a mural during the #CUB55 protest (2016)
(above) October 17th 2016 - I Finally got this mural done for the #CUB55 ! at the Abbottsford brewery protest site, Melbourne, Australia. The protesting CUB (Carlton and United Breweries) workers and supporters are going strong after 55 workers were sacked and invited back to work but with a 65% pay cut.
(above) This photo was taken right at the end of the protest campaign, December 2016 at the Abbottsford Brewery site. That's why there's no one around. This particular mural makes fun of the Carlton Draft (beer) Draught horses. The normal logo show them strong. Here they're weak and dying of thirst.
Where are these murals now? See the pictures and map below - they're now safely at the CFMEU (Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union) Education and Training Unit, 262, Port Melbourne, Victoria Australia.
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(Below) Donald Trump spews hatred from a pile of money
(above) This mural was completed in 2016, not long after Trump had won the US Presidential Elections. It has since been painted over by the local council. The owner of the fence has fought the local council to have the mural re-installed. So far the council has admitted they erased it and have sent apologies to the house owner, and it looks like I will be able to re-install this mural! I hope it happens! Once it is re-installed, I'll put its exact location here should you want to see it.
(below) Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are sinking on the same expensive yacht
(below) Refugee mural in Melbourne's western suburbs
Oct 2016 - This mural on a fence in west Yarraville, Melbourne, Australia (not there now unfortunately) supports the rights of refugees to seek safe asylum around the world. This particular one is based on Syrian refugees escaping war and taking perilous and desparate journeys toward European shores where they are treated like vermin.
(above) A rough sketch of the refugee mural
2014 - This mural was part of a larger collaborative work with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). The mural was outside the VCA on a construction wall and it clearly stated its support for the campaign against the racist closures of Aboriginal Communities (in Australia). It was a VCA Student Association project with the support of the Wilin Centre, VCA.