Owl Mural - Parliament of Knowledge

Artist(s) Name
Designed by Ben Eyles in collaboration with Jindabyne Central School students; created by young people from across former Snowy River Shire area.

Description of Work
Local artist and school teacher Ben Eyles was engaged to work with local young people on a design for the mural. After collaborating with ten young people, Ben submitted a draft design to Council. It was sent to the property owner and the Public Art Advisory panel for approval. The basic owl shapes were sketched out by Ben, giving the piece consistency.
Young people were then given free reign to design their owl’s ‘internals’ – the eyes, cowl, design and colours.

More than twenty young people worked on the wall between Monday 16 and Friday 20 January. Some of the owls were completed by one dedicated young person, and others collaboratively. There’s a mechanical owl by the very talented Crystal Stynes, a book-owl from Owen Pearson, and a musical owl by Michaela Ripper. Ben completed the fatherly owl in the middle of the mural, which brings the piece together. The wall was officially completed on Tuesday 24 January 2012, when Ben put the finishing touches on the text: the word knowledge in many languages and the names of the young people that contributed.

Artist Statement
The design team chose knowledge as their theme. As a school teacher I am very focused on how knowledge and the process of gaining that knowledge – through learning – can positively impact young people and our society more broadly. Owls are a long-standing symbol of knowledge and wisdom, and an obvious choice for the mural.

Location of Art
Razorback Plaza, Gippsland Street, facing Park Road, Jindabyne NSW

Installed
2012

Primary Materials
Acrylic paint

Type
Visual Art