A new bin in our lane with the late sun describing a vivid triangle on it and highlighting its red-ness. I’m calling it art.

* * * * * * *

Myrna found an article in the paper about ‘Flash Forward’, a new lot of art in the city, art in the lanes, mostly graffer murals but not exclusively so.

I skimmed the article and looked at the pictures and thought, four, easy. Even if they are spread round the extremities of the city let’s go and have a look. So we did.

First one.

The author of the article, Robert Nelson, thought the most successful of these ‘interventions’ (interventions?) were ‘those that functioned as if they’re a kind of architecture in themselves’. This is a good example. It is also a good example of the experience: turning a corner into a lane that you would otherwise never visit or even find to happen on an unexpected pleasure. A (mid-key) wow moment.

We tramped a couple of kilometres across to the diametrically opposite corner of the city to the next one.

Previously a red brick wall with some random graffiti in the bottom left-hand corner. Better in the flesh than in the photo. But check out the separated stacked blocks at each end, all doing something different, but living together happily enough. Very strong and satisfying. I loved it.

I had to look at the next one carefully to see that I’d got it. The ‘re-casting’ of the brickwork covers the entire wall and in the top street corner, turns a page. It’s also actually very hard to see because the lane is so narrow. There would be better vantage points not available to the casual wanderer, but from the lane floor you can still see what’s going on. The sign contributing to the vibe says ‘LEISURE PLEASURE & LIQUOR’ .

We missed this one. The suspended fish-like creatures light up at night, and the wall art … well, we might have just missed it. Neither the lowering portrait nor the game of hoops outside a lively bar is part of the show. Just an indication that the city is still a living organism.

Also in Stevenson’s Lane were some witty light panels with an African flavour. You can’t see it, but I liked ‘No thoughts. Just be hot.’ The one you can see says: ‘Waiting for ideas’.

And that’s it I thought. Good job. Enjoyed that. Then I went back to read the article more closely and I discovered that there are not four but 40. Not only that, but each art work has its own attached (and expansive) music which you can hear if you click on the link above, or this one if you can’t be bothered finding it. CLICK> It’s a big show.

So I went back to the drawing board, pencilled in another day or two for the treasure hunt and kept looking, and eventually arrived pretty close to consummation.

This is the first one I found on the second excursion, the crumpled spray can offering a motif for the whole show.

Some were ephemeral like this light show, and how good is that!

This one had come and gone. Part of a series: ‘Some people are so poor all they have is money.’

Some had disappeared as construction had taken hold on building sites.

Some I couldn’t find.

Some I found but they were the wrong ones: yes to the one on the right, no to the one on the left which is in the lane but around a corner and up the other end. But I liked the birds flying through the wall regardless.

And even if you find them, you might miss something.

This is what was there.

Some are in obvious places and I’ve been able to watch them grow.

Some hadn’t been finished.

Some had. Marvellous.

Sometimes it was hard to distinguish what was and what wasn’t in the show. These weren’t.

I was sorry about the last one, in the foyer of the State Bank Galleria, whoops Melbourne Galleria. The video installation was really something, especially with the added reflections. I think I’ll call it part of the show.

Two excellent ones nearby.

Another girls and cats one, maybe a remnant of the lockdown.

Nearby are two others, both grand affairs that were hard to photograph.

I could go on with the whole 40. But that’s rather a lot. I’ll pick a few more I liked.

A sad final story. The lane whose name has the most florid referent might just be the dullest of them all.

Final judgment: great fun finding them and mostly rewarding when found with some real standouts.