Cool scene hits the city

LOCAL artist TOPSK is working on a mural masterpiece that will bring Antarctic marine life right into Hobart’s city centre.

The mural is being painted to mark the 37th meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, currently being held in Hobart.

Once the four panels are filled, the mural will include colossal squids, penguins, seals, whales, krill and sea stars. TOPSK, who has been creating street art for 20 years, said painting Antarctic marine life was a new experience.

“I’ve never painted ice or Antarctic animals before but I love a challenge and care about the cause,” he said.

“I hope the mural promotes the fact that we only have one planet which is filled with lots of beauty.”

CCAMLR is an international commission with 25 members which agrees to a set of conservation measures that determine the use of marine living resources in the Antarctic. Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition executive director Claire Christian said marine protected areas in the waters around the Antarctic would be a hot topic at this year’s meeting.

“We want people to see that the Southern Ocean is a wonderfully vibrant and rich ecosystem at the bottom of the world,” she said.

“Many of the ecosystems in the Antarctic are relatively intact compared to other parts of the world and we want to keep them as healthy as possible.”

The mural will be officially unveiled on Wednesday.