Anthony Lister’s tribute to slain couple ‘completely misunderstood’

Sydney public artist Anthony Lister appeared in court over his mural in Kings Cross depicting slain couple Luke Davies and Jesse Baird. He says it was never meant to be offensive, ‘quite the contrary in fact’.

Artist Anthony Listers peaks out about his controversial mural depicting slain Sydney couple Luke Davies and Jesse Baird. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Public artist Anthony Lister has spoken out about his controversial mural depicting slain Sydney couple Luke Davies and Jesse Baird, saying he will cop his punishment but his anti violence message was “completely misread and distorted”.

Lister pleaded guilty this week to two counts of intentionally marking premises without consent and was convicted and fined a total of $1000 for the work on the once notorious and now-neglected Porky’s Night Club along Kings Cross’ red-light strip.

The charges relate to a mural, posted on Reddit last year, which appeared to show Mr Baird and Mr Davies laying down having allegedly been fatally shot, with a rainbow-coloured pattern seeming to be blood and a figure in a police-style uniform.

Artist Anthony Lister at his studio, in Darlinghurst, says he never meant to cause any harm with his Kings Cross mural. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

It was spotted in the days after the slaying of the young couple allegedly by then NSW police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon.

Lister was placed on strict bail conditions that included not being able to leave his home between 6pm and 7am unless for personal medical emergencies.

“I intended the story to simply reflect what was prolific in the media at the time,” Lister told the Telegraph this week.

“In no way did I want to upset anybody or disrespect the victims, their families or even the police. It was an artwork about anti violence.”

Lister said he painted pictures and made artwork about subjects that are “relevant to the human and the social condition”.

“This piece, in particular, was never meant to be offensive, quite the contrary in fact. The ghostly shaped colourful sections to the right of the figures are representing the beautiful homosexual souls of these lovers leaving their bodies. This was a tribute painting of the victims.”

Lister said the intention in making the work was that of “heartfelt sympathy, a public and symbolic message that violence is simply unacceptable”.

“The subject matter was inspired by the horrific events that had unfolded some nights before which I was shocked to read about in the paper,” he said.

“I must emphasise, in no way, would I ever intentionally set out to make artwork to disturb or upset anybody in a state of grief or mourning.

“After having learned of the unfortunate misinterpretation of the artwork... I immediately attempted to make my intentions clear.

“I returned to the location after the original artwork had been painted over and made a new painting.”

The controversial mural appearing to depict Luke Davies and Jess Baird painted by street artist Anthony Lister. He says his anti-violence message was misunderstood. Picture: Supplied

He said he created a second piece of artwork which depicted the gravestones of the two young men with their initials on each.

“I made this second artwork as a sign of respect to the victims and their families and also to the authorities, to make it clear that it was definitely not an anti-police artwork.

“It clearly portrays two officers, standing guard beside each of the gravestones, as if to project a somewhat formal military aesthetic.”

Lister said it upset him that the interpretation of an anti-violence message could be so “completely misread and distorted from the fact of it being an artwork about how acts of violence are not welcome in a civilised society”.

In reference to his curfew for some of the time he was on bail, Lister said he could only guess it was strict because “they didn’t want me outdoors at night to prevent me from doing any art I guess?”.

“What I had made on a black piece of hoarding attached to a building in a dark dead end alley in Kings Cross essentially cost me over 10 months of rushing home at 6pm to only be let back out at 7am each next day.”

Anthony Lister hopes to get permission to paint on public spaces across Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Meanwhile, Lamarre-Condon has spent a year on remand after allegedly using his service-issued Glock pistol to shoot former partner Mr Baird, a television presenter with whom police say he had become fixated, and Qantas flight attendant Mr Davies, inside a Paddington terrace home on February 19, 2024.

Earlier this month Lamarre-Condon’s lawyer told the Downing Centre Local Court his client was seen by a forensic psychologist and a report would be issued on April 1.

The 29-year-old’s legal team are due to meet with prosecutors in May after they review the findings to discuss next steps. No pleas have been entered.

Lister is looking to the future and said he hoped to focus on his street art moving forward and “would love a few walls around town which he could paint for free and not be arrested for doing so”.

“The issue was that I didn’t get permission to do my artwork outdoors,” he said.

“It’s difficult to get permission on abandoned buildings but that’s something I would love to do moving forward.”

Originally published as Anthony Lister’s tribute to slain couple ‘completely misunderstood’