If you have recently gone on a shopping spree at DFO Skygate or killed time before your flight at the Skygate Dining precinct, then you will have no doubt noticed the bright orange and yellow mural gracing our walls. Painted by local illustrator and mural artist, Aurora Campbell (@auroracampbellart), her piece titled “Tangerine Trip” was a welcome addition to Skygate as part of the 2022 Brisbane Street Art Festival.
The Brisbane Street Art Festival is a city-wide, annual event that has been growing strong since it began in 2016 and was recently featured in an article by the Thrilist highlighting the Best Things to Do in Brisbane. This event invites dozens of artists to express themselves throughout the city and help showcase the culture and vibrancy of Brisbane.
Mural Artists, Aurora Campbell. Photo by Stephen Finkel.
Aurora drew her inspiration for the mural at Skygate from a number of sources, which included collaborating with photographer and friend Rachel Walker, who has a particular interest in floristry. "I referenced her arrangements and photographs, combining them into the mural design.” From the design to picking colours, it would have seemed that Aurora deliberately complemented our Skygate branding colours, but admits that this was a complete coincidence.
“I visited the site before I did the design and felt that there was a lot of bitumen and cement... so I was thinking of adding warmth and vibrance to counteract that.”
"Once I started painting all I saw when I looked around was complimenting orange splashes throughout Skygate, so I think it was more of a subconscious thing."
Tangerine Trip at Skygate, painted by Aurora Campbell. Photo by Stephen Finkel.
The stunning florals and perfectly matched orange and warm tones found inspiration from visual elements, but the name found its final piece of inspiration from the very vibrancy of the travellers themselves. “I had so many conversations with people who were in transit while I was painting at Skygate.” Aurora appropriately titled the mural Tangerine Trip, mixing visuals with vibe.
“It’s cool to hear their stories, where they’re going and what for - work, family, home, holiday. The difference in their energy based on which end of the trip they’re on."
Aurora specifically loves the artistic challenge that come with painting murals, and that it takes her out of her comfort zone. “I love when I get the opportunity to paint large-scale. There’s so much I don’t know and that’s exciting for me.”
"It’s also really cool to see the transformation of a space happen throughout the process - a mural completely changes the scene."
Mural In Northshore, Brisbane by Kitt Bennett. Photo by Patrick Gatling.
Aurora also shared with us her top picks from this year's festival, Aurora highlights Lisa King (@ArtOfLisaKing) and Kitt Bennett’s (@Kitt_Bennett) murals, located at the Argyle Street Underpass, Albion and the Maritime Green Park, Northshore, respectively.
Mural in Albion, Brisbane by Lisa King. Photo by Macami.
The Brisbane Street Art Festival takes place typically over two weeks and is sprawled throughout our wonderful city. It’s an opportunity to not only explore Brisbane, but to discover the power and presence of modern mural art. But you don’t need to wait until 2023 to enjoy the murals from this year, or previous years. Take a day to walk, bicycle or drive around and find your favourite Brisbane street art mural.
