Aretha Brown is a strong Gumbaynggirr woman, renowned for her big and bold, black and white public art. She is a storyteller and describes herself as a “painter, decoloniser, dreamboat”.

Weaving history and the celebration of First Nations’ histories together through her incredibly unique style of painting, Aretha was commissioned to paint a mural across the hoarding of the Collins Arch facade works site. The hoarding artwork commenced in November 2022 and was completed at the end of December 2022.

Aretha pays homage to this sacred site by creating a work that emphasises the deep connection to the waterways leading to the Yarra River and Birrarung Marr (the river of mists and the Wurundjeri People, who originally inhabited the area).

The mural also features a tribute to Uncle Jack Charles, who passed away in 2022.

Aretha enlisted her all femme crew to assist her with the hand painting of the hoarding; an important part of her practice to create pathways of connection, support and sisterhood. The artwork will be reused at the conclusion of the site works.