Bute’s silo nominated for national art award
One of South Australia’s newest silo art displays has been shortlisted for the 2022 Australian Street Art Awards.
The "beaut" silo art by artists Scott Nagy and Janne Birkner from the Juddy Roller street art network.
Located at the top of the Yorke Peninsula, the Bute “beaut” silo art was developed by Barunga West Council and the Bute community and depicts scenes of importance to the town and the region.
The artwork is a finalist in the Best Mega Mural and the Best Rural Art categories of the awards, which were established in 2018 to recognise innovation in art tourism. The winners will be announced in February.
Barunga West Council Mayor, Leonie Kerley said “the Bute silo art project is completely unique to our region and has helped to attract visitors to the stunning top of the Yorke since its completion last year.”
The project was completed by artists Scott Nagy and Janne Birkner from the Juddy Roller street art network in April 2022.
The design for the silos was decided based on community feedback from a council survey in August 2021. It tells the story of women in regional areas while incorporating local symbols such as a sheep and a rooster – which is the mascot for the Bute football, netball, basketball, cricket and tennis clubs.
The featured birds are rainbow bee-eaters, which are seasonal breeding migrants to South Australia, and a superb fairy wren, while the background is the Hummocks, a range of hills in the northern Mount Lofty Ranges extending north from the eastern edge of Yorke Peninsula.
“The silo art project has been 10 years in the making with the Bute 2000 Onwards Progress Association working tirelessly to make it happen,” Kerley said.
The project was backed by a grant through the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal’s ‘Tackling Tough Times Together’ program in 2021.
Australian Street Art Awards director Liz Rivers said Bute had become a “must-see destination for art lovers”.
Whyalla won the Best Landmark Sculpture last year for Karen Carr’s Accessible Cuttlefish Throne.
After the online awards announcement on Friday, February 10, the judges will provide feedback to the nominees on ways to further develop their projects and attract visitors to view the public art.
Last year Kingston SE won the Best External Mural award for its augmented reality mural Wind Dance, painted on the town’s main street by Sarah Boese and brought to life with sound and movement with the free EyeJack app.
Whyalla took home the Best Landmark Sculpture for the Accessible Cuttlefish Throne near the new circular jetty, which the locals have nicknamed “Craig”. It was created by mosaic artist Karen Carr, with dozens of hours of community assistance.
