Street artists in Australia are transforming unused grain silos into giant works of art. The murals form a huge open air gallery and are attracting tourists to a region that has been hit hard by years of drought.

Giant mural on grain silo celebrates Aboriginal culture

Matt Adnate, known as “Adnate” on the international scene, is an Australian artist is famous for his work with Aboriginal communities. He is putting the finishing touches to this giant mural of four Aboriginal faces painted on a disused silo in the farming community of Sheep Hills in northwest Victoria.

“I grew up right in the inner city of Melbourne and I unfortunately didn’t learn anything about Aboriginal culture and when I started painting all this stuff, it’s just completely changed my life,” said Adnate.

Aunty Regina Hood is one of those whose faces now adorns the silo. She says this art is a first.

“We’ve never had anything like this done before. It’s good that we’re actually being recognized on a large scale,” she said.

Shaun Hossack curates the project, which is financed by local, state and federal administrations.

“The really cool thing about street art is that it’s not in some big institutional gallery where some people can feel uncomfortable visiting. It’s art for the people,” said Hossack.

The tourist interest in the project has come as a very pleasant for local businesses.

“It’s been amazing. We’ve had people from all over Australia, Victoria and all over the world. Probably the furthest has been London, they have heard about it and now they are in Australia and decided to come and see the silos,” said Sally Gebert, hotel owner.

The Sheep Hills silo is the third one to be painted in the region. Three more silos are still blank canvases waiting to be transformed in the near future.