Global street artist ELLE opens exhibition as part of CBD revival project

This seedy nightclub strip is notorious for being a sleazy part of Melbourne CBD — but plans are afoot to revitalise the area with street art to rival Hosier Lane’s.

A notorious pocket in the west of the CBD is shaping as a rival to the Hosier Lane street art precinct.

Rialto Tower co-owner Lorenz Grollo is commissioning artists to help revitalise a seedy part of King St after buying up buildings in the nightclub strip near Collins St.

Inflation nightclub is set to be redeveloped as cafes and restaurants, while nearby Geddes Lane has a live music venue run by celebrity chef Shannon Bennett.

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Rialto co-owner Lorenz Grollo with international street artist ELLE, who has an exhibition as part of King St revival project. Picture: Jay Town

Mr Grollo said he wanted to turn the laneway into a creative destination, “rather than just bins and rubbish”.

“I’d like to activate it first with street art, so the artists that come through here hopefully will have the opportunity to take their patch on the wall and start to change the lane,” he said.

Mr Grollo said his aim was for office workers to step out of the corporate environment and soak up the street art precinct for their mental wellbeing.

Global street artist ELLE has been commissioned to produce works in the York Butter Factory building, next to the Rialto, as part of Grollo’s King St Revival project.

US-born ELLE uses spray-paint and Photoshop to create pieces inspired by Catholic art, contemporary fashion and other cultural influences.

Street artist ELLE is in demand for big corporate commissions.

“I’m not religious anymore but … I love the really intense stares and the gazing up to heaven and these homo-erotic faces with crazy eyes,” she said.

ELLE, who is based in Melbourne but travels widely for her work, said she was blown away by the city’s street art culture.

“It’s just a very supportive scene, people here really love it, I find that it’s very European, more so than New York,” she said.

Mr Grollo said King St will become another precinct like Hosier Lane.

“This part of King and Collins streets is much different to what it was five and 10 years ago, and it’s certainly going to go through enormous change in the next five years,” he said.

ELLE’s exhibition, A Space for Sinners, opens tomorrow from 6pm.

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@JMasanauskas