Chequerboard art in Melbourne’s Strachan Lane washed away

AWARD-winning artist Vincent Fantauzzo has vowed to restore his alleyway streetscape in Melbourne’s CBD after council contract cleaners washed away his art.

Penny, of Bentleigh, in Vincent Fantauzzo’s Alice In Wonderland-inspired laneway. Picture: Josie Hayden

AWARD-winning artist Vincent Fantauzzo has vowed to restore his alleyway streetscape in Melbourne’s CBD after council contract cleaners washed away his art.

Fantauzzo told the Herald Sun he wanted something positive to come out of the farce where police had to be called to supervise the final stage of cleaning on Thursday afternoon.

“I want to make this a good thing and create something positive, maybe with other artists,’’ he said.

“I’m happy to meet with the Lord Mayor if he wants. He even opened one of my exhibitions once.’’

Earlier in the day, a furious Fantauzzo arrived at Strachan Lane, where cleaners moved in to wash away most of the chequerboard pattern which had covered the bitumen for the past fortnight.

Cleaning with high-pressure water hoses was stopped when he parked his Ducati motorcycle on the remaining artwork.

Council had declared the laneway unsafe and said no permit had been requested.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle would not back down, saying the artwork had to go and that staff had been threat­ened.

“He threatened to punch some of the people there and wanted to know on what authority they were there, which is pretty rich from someone who didn’t have a permit in the first place,” Cr Doyle said.

Fantauzzo denied the claims of threats.

MELBOURNE'S LANEWAYS HAVE A DARK PAST

“That’s just ridiculous,” he said.

“I asked them (the cleaners) to not to touch another square.”

Cleaners are back with POLICE at Strachan Lane to clear away Vincent Fantauzzo's street art. @cityofmelbourne pic.twitter.com/3nBgUUwDbb

— Ian Royall (@IanRoyall) April 13, 2017

The cleaners arrived this morning to clean away Vincent Fantauzzo’s chequerboard street art that has covered Strachan Lane in central Melbourne for the past two weeks.

The lane was cordoned off early today with contract cleaners moving in under council orders.

But the award-winning artist arrived at the scene about 9.10am and parked his Ducati motorcycle on the remaining artwork, stopping the clean-up.

“It just breaks my heart,” Fantauzzo said.

He said the clean-up was an overaction.

“And what is the point? They’re just making it worse’’

His arrival sparked a stand-off between the artist and the cleaners.

The cleaners at work this morning. Picture: Hamish Blair

The cleaning work also sprayed debris on to Fantauzzo’s wall painting of 80s pop star Cyndi Lauper.

Paint, debris and water also sprayed through a vent into the kitchen of Harley House of which Fantauzzo is the part owner.

Fantauzzo attempts to protect his artwork from the clean up. Picture: Hamish Blair

Fantauzzo also said the cleaning had actually damaged the street surface.

“So what, are they going to ask me to pay for that now?”

“I’ve been here for two weeks and I’ve heard nothing from the council and now this.”

High-pressure water hoses washed away the Alice in Wonderland-inspired street art.

Passers-by and nearby workers expressed their outrage at the removal of the street art.

Paywise chief executive Neil Alison was appalled at the treatment.

“It’s a disgrace. I can’t believe what they’ve done. It defies logic,’’ Mr Alison said.

“It was attracting so many people. It was such a good thing.

“He’s given the city an asset and the council has come along and destroyed it.”

The artwork on Strachan Lane. Picture: Josie Hayden

The lane runs off Exhibition St between Flinders Lane and Collins St.

And architect Sergio Petricca said: “Some idiot decides this has to be cleaned and we pay for it.

“They should resurface the lane and pay Vincent to come and paint it again.

“It’s outrageous.”

Even late yesterday Fantauzzo was adding an extra coat of paint to the bitumen.

But the city council said the art had to go because the artist did not have a permit and that it could be dangerous.

Fantauzzo said he wanted to bring art out of the galleries and accessible to people.

Strachan Lane has been a tourist highlight in the past fortnight with visitors posted photos of the alley on their social media.

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