Ethical Property Building Mural

After many months of struggling to find the right signage solution, Ethical Property was recommended Mesh Direct by Rork Projects to work on a larger than life building mural. We reached out to Ethical Property and worked with their team to print and install a largescale mural that was two years in the making. The building mural can be seen on an exterior wall of Endeavour House, a centre for social change in Canberra, ACT. Endeavour House is owned and managed by Ethical Property. 

This design was selected as part of a local competition run by Ethical Property to support local artists and inspire action on social issues. James Small, a Canberra mural artist, won the competition from more than 20 other entries with his artwork inspired by climate change. As Australia’s first carbon neutral provider of signage, it was a project we were proud to be a part of.

The Challenge

The first challenge was the looming deadline. Ethical Property had been unsuccessful in finding a printer that could deliver and install the artwork, which made our window a small one when we were first approached to do the job. The second challenge was the size of the artwork, which needed to cover a 35m x 5m wall. Not only was the wall very large, but it also had challenges in its current condition with waste pipes, airing pipes and a general rough surface that would make installing the artwork difficult. The wall was also vandalised with some old artwork still gracing the façade. It became evident very quickly that Mesh Direct was not working with a blank canvas! 

The Product

Once our team had the opportunity to see the space and offer a solution, we knew exactly what was required. We decided to opt for traditional billboard vinyl, a tough, durable and long-lasting material. Often used for largescale advertising, real estate developments and property sales, it was the best option for the building mural. Billboard vinyl has excellent print quality making it a great option for important artwork designs like James’. 

Prior to the installation, we needed to first uninstall the artwork that was already on the wall. Then, to install the billboard vinyl, a traditional sail track was required. Due to the sheer size of the mural, we set up rope access so we could deliver the project from the top down. The team at Mesh Direct repainted the whole base and around the edges of the sign to create a premium, top-quality finish. From start to finish, the artwork took an entire day to install, but the end result was worth it. 

The Result 

The artist, James Small, said the artwork aimed to demonstrate the negative and positive potential impacts of climate action. The timing of this installation was therefore crucial, given Australia’s recent natural disasters. Mesh Direct worked quickly and efficiently to meet the very important deadline. 

James said, “On the left side there is that kind of smoky, burnt out negative impact of climate change and on the right side it is a little bit more optimistic and positive with brighter skies, blue oceans,” James said. “I also included a yellow-tailed black cockatoo in the centre as I do a lot of illustrations and work around native animals and birds.” 

The artwork has received a large amount of media attention, which is a wonderful result given its purpose. It’s clear that James’ intention, to draw attention to climate change, has been achieved. The attention received is also a great result after Ethical Property’s initial struggle to install. The team at Mesh Direct did a fantastic job at completing this project with COVID-19 and weather creating setbacks along the way. The building mural looks impressive and we are thrilled to have been a part of its display.