Blasting colour: See the evolution of Ash Keating’s first outdoor mural project in Sydney

‘Gravity System Response’ transforms a bland corner of Sydney into a colourful abstraction.

The before shot

A spectacularly unspectacular brown canvas.

Credit: The Noun Collective
Prepping, prepping, prepping

Before one splosh of paint hit the wall, Ash spent 2 days mixing paint, filling and pressurising extinguishers.

Credit: The Noun Collective
Mind the grass

Every great painter uses drop cloths.

Credit: The Noun Collective
Ready, aim, fire

Using approximately 350L of paint, Ash fired layer upon layer of paint to bring his illusive composition to life. He crafts through gestures and intuition.

Credit: The Noun Collective
The tools

Ash used 80 x 9.1L water type fire extinguishers, mostly half-filled so it was easier to haul them up and down the hill beside the wall.

Credit: The Noun Collective
The sweep

Painting: It’s a workout.

Credit: The Noun Collective
More hosing

Ripping dripping.

Credit: The Noun Collective
Rugged beauty

Rugged beauty

Credit: The Noun Collective
The after shot (on a very blue-sky Sydney day)

No more mission brown.

Credit: The Noun Collective

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Gravity System Response was curated by Billie and Elliot Routledge of FUNSTUDIO for Art & About Sydney.

To find it, head down through the park beside the Art Gallery of NSW towards Woolloomooloo. Gravity System Response is on the wall opposite the big matchsticks (officially known as Brett Whiteley’s Almost Once) behind the art gallery.

View the marked section on the map below.