By bringing art to unusual places, the City of Sydney’s Art & About program seeks to surprise and delight. Kristian Molloy’s latest artwork does just that by taking over locations where there would otherwise be commercial advertising.
Kristian Molloy is a typographer, art director and graphic designer living in Sydney. With an extensive background in advertising, book, and graphic design, he is one of the most awarded typographers in Australia.
We asked Kristian a bit more about the artwork and what it represents.
What can people expect from I Am Responsible?
Surprise. Intrigue. A wish to engage. The purpose is to make people stop and think. These murals are about helping people take responsibility for individual thought. It’s about engagement and communication.
What are the 3 key themes you explore through this work?
It’s public. There for all to see. I want people to be intrigued at first glance. Each artwork has a statement for everyone to consider and interpret in their own way. I’ve designed them to be colourful and bright to grab attention and add positivity to the streets
It’s private. The statements on the artwork are designed to encourage people to reflect and contemplate their current feelings and thoughts.
It’s personal. These represent some of my understandings and affirmations. These represent a lifetime’s work with typography, art and visual communication that speak to people through the written word.
How was the work made?
The headlines were typeset in traditional letterpress format and printed by hand onto card. These images were then scanned into a computer and manipulated, where the final artwork was created, digitally printed, and installed as billboards.
Who have you been influenced by?
Saul Bass, Alan Fletcher, Alan Kitching, Barbara Kruger, Paula Scher. Artists who combine typography and colour to create visual storytelling.
The artworks can be found on billboards at:
- Ultimo Road, Ultimo
- Harris Street, Pyrmont
- Wattle Street, Pyrmont
- Bridge Road, Glebe
- Burren and Albert streets, McDonaldtown
- Wentworth Park Road, Glebe
- Regent Street, Redfern
I Am Responsible will be on display until Monday 9 May.
Published 21 March 2022, updated 25 March 2022
