Container lights up Docklands

A shipping container turned public mural provided a welcome addition of colour to Harbour Esplanade in April.

Ethiopian artist Tamirat Gebremariam worked with a number of artists, students and the public over a week to transform the container into African-inspired art.

An initiative of not-for-profit organisation Educaring Africa, in partnership with the new Rotary Club of Central Melbourne (Docklands Branch), the container will transport medical and school supplies to Malawi later this year.

With supplies donated by Rotary’s Donations in Kind (DIK) facility in West Footscray, the event aimed to raise funds to ship the container to Malawi, as well as awareness of Educaring Africa and the new Rotary Club.

The container was placed on Harbour Esplanade on Tuesday, April 9, with the event culminating at the Docklands Sunday Market on April 14, where the Docklands Rotary Club hosted a stall.

The week saw artists and students from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) bring their own artistic flair and inspiration to the container to create a collage that attracted plenty of public attention.

Featuring some striking large-scale portraits, African wildlife and a smattering of bright colour across all sides of the container, the initiative also helped celebrate our African community here in Melbourne.

Locals and visitors of all ages grabbed a brush or a spray can throughout the week, writing messages and putting their own creative stamp on the container.

Educaring Africa director and Docklands Rotary Club member Sean Car said he hoped it would be the first of many for Docklands.

“The container was a great example of what can be done to draw more positive attention to Docklands as a destination,” he said. “The attention it attracted was endless and the artists had so much fun engaging with so many different people throughout the week.”

“People frequently asked why container couldn’t stay there permanently! It added a lot of colour and energy to the esplanade so we hope to be able to do similar types of installations in the future as the Rotary Club in Docklands continues to grow.”

The shipping container will ship supplies to a new medical clinic, which is currently nearing completion in Monkey Bay, Malawi.

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