Artist Neil Binnie finds intrigue in ‘dilapidated’ Townsville CBD buildings

The city’s contrast of brand new buildings mixed with derelict and abandoned ones has inspired a local artist.

Artist Neil Binnie with some of his abstract pieces in exhibition Urban Construct at Umbrella Studio. Picture: Evan Morgan

The city’s contrast of new buildings mixed with derelict and abandoned ones has inspired a local artist.

Neil Binnie pounded the walkways around the city throughout 2019 and at the start of this year, capturing Townsville’s buildings, using photos, drawings and paintings.

Some people find the derelict buildings in the CBD an eyesore, so much so that Townsville City Council endorsed a new local law in which landlords could face fines of up to $26,000 for failing to clean up their dilapidated buildings.

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But to Binnie the city’s urban landscape is fascinating.

“I enjoy it, because it’s geometric,” he said. “I work in an abstract nature, it gives me a lot of options. I use colours and shapes from the buildings.”

Binnie captured photos of old and new buildings, including the Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Focused on the regular lines and shapes of the city’s buildings around Flinders, Ogden and Stanley streets, Binnie’s work reflects many of the sharp edges of the city.

He said his exhibition ‘Urban Construct’, on show at Umbrella Studio, was an investigation into visualising space as a lived experience.

The exhibition opening last Friday was the first launch at the gallery since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gallery business manager Alan Marlowe said the launch was booked out.

Originally published as Artist Neil Binnie finds intrigue in ‘dilapidated’ Townsville CBD buildings