Jack Fran, Reignite Adelaide

Image: Jack Fran, Untitled, Arab Steed. Photograph Sam Roberts.

Jack Fran’s juicy fruits and still life elements enliven the facades of the Arab Steed Hotel and Hutt Street Cellars. Fran has subverted contemporary mural approaches by lavishly injecting Hutt Street with a centuries-old still life narrative of realistic fruits and traditional tabletop items.

The motif of fruit in art was seen in Roman decorative mosaics known as ‘emblema’, functioning as a sign of hospitality and a celebration of the seasons and life. By the 16th century, food and flowers would again appear as symbols of the seasons and the five senses. The realism of still-life painting is related in the ancient Greek legend of Zeuxis and Parrhasius, who are said to have once competed to paint the most lifelike objects, perhaps one of the earliest descriptions of trompe-l’œil painting.

In these murals Fran employs vibrant, uplifting colour to create mood, whilst incorporating hyper-real, traditional motifs that allude to the inner workings of each building, with both businesses having their roots in hospitality. More generally these artworks can be viewed as a celebration of the senses and the seasons, and a nod to the vibrancy and diversity of Hutt Street.

Reignite Adelaide Project

The City of Adelaide commissioned local artists to brighten and activate main streets and laneways across North Adelaide and the CBD. The project was developed to support local traders and provide employment opportunities for creatives. Delivered in partnership with Guildhouse, the $300,000 initiative resulted in nine new public artworks.

Image: Jack Fran, Untitled, Hutt Street Cellars. Photograph Sam Roberts.

Additional Media:

Experience Adelaide, City of Adelaide.

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