When RESIO, a popular Greek street artist was tasked with the job of painting a mural for the side of 2 Gooch Street in Thornbury Melbourne, he was excited. Melbourne born and bred RESIO knows the Greek migrant experience.
The mural faces the recently inaugurated ‘Kalamata Lane’ which was a project spearheaded by Melbourne Pammesinian Brotherhood ‘Papaflessas’ and voted unanimously by Darebin Council in recognition of those Greeks who emigrated to Thornbury in the 1950s from Kalamata to Australia.
The most famous Greek city for Messenians is Kalamata, touted as producing the best olives in the world, and so RESIO boasts “that it was a no brainer that the olive would be incorporated in the mural”. His mural depicts a monochromatic greyscale portrait of a Greek Australian muse wearing an elegant olive wreath highlighted in deep green colour, in her hair.
RESIO had to consult with locals to ascertain the breath of the mural. What he learnt was that the city of Darebin has one of the highest concentrations of Greek Australians in Victoria who are vibrant and active with a strong sense of community and pride.
Many Greek Australian businesses operate in Thornbury, including restaurants and cafes, offering a taste of Greek cuisine and culture which are popular with the locals. However, the acceptance of Greek migrants into Australia didn’t happen without language barriers and discrimination challenges.
Despite the challenges Greek migrants persisted and won over the locals with their warm hospitality and generosity, sharing their rich cultural traditions and customs with their neighbours.
RESIO sees the olive tree as a metaphor for the Greek people and their resilience in the face of adversity. The olive tree’s ability to survive for thousands of years in all conditions make it a symbol of endurance, strength, and hope for all migrants.
Even the prominent Greek poet Kostis Palamas wrote about his most famous poem “The Olive Tree” that it has become a symbol of Greece and its identity who despite their long suffering under Ottoman rule, endured and prospered.
To quote the words of Palamas “Let us all be the olive tree, firmly rooted in our land, let us all be… standing tall and proud.”
The residents of Darebin have welcomed the artwork honouring decades of Greek contribution in the area.
RESIO is best known for painting the iconic Native American mural for Tonto Cafe in Canterbury, which has become such a landmark for the area. He also recently worked on the NGV project ‘The Temple of Boom’ with a reimagining of the Parthenon.
Pammesinian Brotherhood ‘Papaflessas’, is a non-profit cultural and social organisation that focuses on servicing the local and greater community via the promotion of Messenia and Greek and Australian initiatives in history, community, and social fun.
