Griffith Council posted on social media a photo of a mural painted by Sydney-based artist Reubszz that was vandalised. Photo: Griffith City Council.
Griffith City Council is appealing for help to identify the person who graffitied a number of murals and property throughout the CBD.
The local government body posted several photos on social media of murals defaced with the tags “TK”, “Tee Kay” and similar signs.
“The council is urging anyone who witnessed this senseless act of vandalism, or anyone who recognises this tag, to come forward,” the council said in a post.
“Council offers a reward of up to $5000 for information leading to a conviction of those responsible for vandalising council property. All information will be kept confidential.
“If you witnessed this senseless act of vandalism, please contact Griffith Police on 6969 4299 or council on 1300 176 077.”
A number of murals have been defaced. Photo: Griffith City Council.
One of the murals defaced was a painting of a child hugging their pregnant mother, by New Zealand-born Sydney artist Reuben Boughtwood (AKA Reubszz). He was pragmatic when he found out what happened.
“I don’t get that upset about it,” he told Region.
“It’s part of the culture. That’s how it all started, from people tagging things, which led to graffiti and that led into street art. I try not to take it too personally.”
Mr Broughtwood is currently working on a giant portrait of Gordana Kotevski, a girl who went missing from Newcastle 30 years ago.
Karly Sivewright, an accountant who painted a 12-m butterfly mural on the wall behind Kooyoo Street, described the vandalism as “upsetting”.
Karly Sivewright is an accountant by day and artist by night . Photo: EM Photography.
“It’s disappointing when people do this; I guess they’re bored or jealous,” she said.
“I’m too scared to drive past my mural in case I find out someone has tagged it.
“Council runs free workshops on how to do mural art; I’d urge people to come along to those and learn how to do it, rather than ruining other people’s work.”
She said that while some graffiti could be painted over, some could be near impossible to remove without distorting the mural.
Ms Sivewright’s next project will be a design on a wall of her father Robert Fattore’s Driver Supermarket.
The are 34 murals at various locations across Griffith. The council recently published a mural art trail to give people information about where to find them and the stories behind them.
