“I have painted two murals this year, 206 Bourke included, where the client trusted my vision and gave me full creative control and both happened to be on smooth surfaces as opposed to brick. Honestly, you can't ask for much more than that.”

- Jason Parker

AC First of all, congratulations on becoming a parent! Has this influenced your perspective as an artist or outlook on life?

JP: I’d say it hasn’t influenced my art much, although I am much more efficient and productive when I am in the studio or muraling now. No time to waste anymore! It has influenced my outlook however, I am a lot less nihilistic these days, it’s hard not to be positive around such joy and innocence.

AC: Walk me through your creative process, and how you approached concept development for Bourke Street?

JP: With murals I like to reference the surrounding area and community. With this particular mural I took inspiration from the fact that 206 Bourke is in Melbourne's Chinatown which lead me to the Lotus flower, an important symbol in a lot of Asian cultures. 

AC: What initially drew you to becoming a muralist?
I just fell into it. Being an artist in Melbourne led me down this path. However I have developed a deep love and appreciation for murals over the years and the opportunities I’ve had because of them. 

AC: how has public artwork influenced your studio practice and vice versa?

There was a slight separation in my mural and studio practice, but over the years as my artistic voice becomes more defined I am finding they are much more aligned with each informing the other.

AC: I agree, there's often a tension that exists between creative freedom and the types of briefs that are given. Speaking of public art, do you think we need to take more risks in Australia?

I understand the position of councils to be risk-averse. Especially when they are at the mercy of public opinion (seeing as it's taxpayer's money funding a lot of these big commissions). But something needs to be done. Even if it was just making the process of executing self-funded projects easier with less red tape.

AC: Mural artworks have evolved significantly over the past decade, where do you think the field is headed and what do you hope to see happening in the future? 

JP: I do worry for the mural scene in Australia. We are blessed to live in a country where there are so many well paid opportunities, but I do feel this can come at a cost. Often we find ourselves operating within such a tight brief, with a push (especially by councils) to incorporate or touch on certain themes. This means the look of murals in Australia are becoming increasingly homogenised. That’s not to say anything of the amount of talent within Australia, I just hope artists will begin to have more freedom to create engaging works that can spark meaningful conversation rather than just be there to visually beautify an area. 

AC Finally, drawing on your own experience as an artist, what advice or guidance would you offer to someone just starting out?

JP: Always keep the end goal in sight. There are days when you will most definitely want to throw in the towel and it feels like the biggest uphill battle. But having a mantra in mind when you are in a slump like ‘I will become a full time artist, who exhibits worldwide’ can really help to transcend the day to day struggles.

With love,

Authority Creative x