BLACKSMITHS WAY is a legal graffiti and street art project in Belgrave, Victoria.
Graffiti is not an aesthetic that communities are always comfortable with, but it is a global (youth) arts practice. At Hoodie Mag we believe that communities need to acknowledge and support the creative aspirations and natural risk taking of young people. This means affording young people a stake in the way our communities function, look and feel.
Young people often feel disconnected, undervalued, even invisible and therefore become resentful and reactionary. We need to offer young people age appropriate opportunities to participate in community cultural development.
This is a disturbing concept for some members of the community, as young people’s aesthetic, cultural and social behaviours are often provocative, experimental, rebellious. To encourage a distinctly youth aesthetic in our communities (one that invariably includes suburban graffiti motifs and street art) is often a contentious issue.
Hoodie Mag works on the ground with young people, actively engaging with them and exploring their perceptions and manifestations of community and culture. Our experience suggests that acknowledging and supporting a youth aesthetic and culture (rather than wishing it didn’t exist) reduces risky and criminal behaviour and betters our communities in general.
Young people want to be valued and noticed. Empowering young people, developing deep and respectful relationships with them and acknowledging their creativity, intelligence and passion can be profoundly rewarding for everyone.
The Blacksmiths Way Graffiti and Street Art Project has been in development for 4 years now and is starting to have a significant artistic, social and cultural impact on the community of Belgrave and surrounding communities. The project successfully raises the profile, status and level of productive participation of young people by offering them a sense of ownership and inclusion in their local community.
Watch the Blacksmiths Way Belgrave videos.
Artists: 1. Rohan Meinhart 2. Sam van Angeren, Sonya Louise, Emma Jennings, Rohan Meinhart 3. Zak Carey 4. Sam Dreams, Tiffaney Bishop, Kyle Stamkos 5. Steve Cross, Askem SDM, Ethicks SDM 6. suk1t_1, OG23, Mikey XX1 7. Kenz Kritpan, Sonya Louise 8. Rohan Meinhart, James Soar 9. James Soar, Rohan Meinhart, Mikey XX1 10. Gengoa, Mikey XX1, Georgia DeWet, Steve Cross, Askem SDM, Ethicks SDM, Sonya Louise 11. Kyle Stamkos 12. tbC, Dvate
Photos: Tiffaney Bishop