Residents in art attack
No complaints while he was working on mural but surprise as dispute turns nasty
The artist who created a controversial fence mural said it would be disappointing to see the artwork destroyed. Aerosol artist Kane Maneylaws was commissioned by the Rowden family to create a colourful mural at the end of their Kanimbla Heights street and now it’s dividing the Parrot Close community with some residents signing a petition to have it removed. “It was only after it was finished that neighbours said they didn’t like it.”
AN artist who created a controversial fence mural at a Cairns home hopes his piece stays in place.
Aerosol artist Kane Maneylaws was commissioned by the Rowden family to create the colourful mural at the end of their Kanimbla Heights street.
The bright artwork was designed to create a bright play space for children in the street and to represent the Rowden family.
Now the mural is dividing the Parrot Close community, with some residents signing a petition to have it removed.
After it was reported in Monday’s Cairns Post, Mr Maneylaws said there hadn’t been any objections to the colourful fence voiced by the neighbourhood until well after the artwork was completed.
“I’ve known Adam Rowden for quite a while, and he approached me asking if I could paint this fence,” he said.
“He had a bear theme in mind so we played around with a couple of ideas and went with the most playful one.”
He said the neighbours had come out and talked to him about the project, but none of them had seemed upset at the time.
“I was out there for seven hours painting the fence,” he said. “During the painting the feedback was all positive from the neighbours. It was only after it was finished and I’d walked away that they said they didn’t like it.”
He said it was common for people to have strong opinions about art, but there was a decided nastiness being directed at the Rowden family.
“Public art can breed mixed emotions, but the comments on my work are usually positive. Older people especially have something positive to say,” he said.
“I didn’t expect this work to get such a rise from the neighbours. Things are getting pretty nasty towards Adam and Loren. It’s pretty disappointing.”
The artwork is painted at the cul-de-sac end of the street. Mr Maneylaws said it was intended to give the two Rowden children and other neighbourhood kids a fun, safe space to play.
“It’s in a cul-de-sac, it’s where all the kids play on their scooters and bikes,” he said.
“It’s their playground at the end of the day. It’s better to have them playing near that than around drab Colorbond.”
The dispute between the Rowden family and the neighbours opposing the mural is currently in mediation.
The petition calling for the artwork to be removed from the shared fence currently has 17 signatures.