Guido van Helten’s iconic Brim mural was the first silo artwork to appear in Victoria, and infused the community with newfound energy and optimism. After gaining widespread local and international attention, Brim’s silo art success shone a spotlight on the Wimmera Mallee region and inspired the establishment of the Silo Art Trail.
Completed in early 2016, with limited financial resources, van Helten’s mural depicts an anonymous, multi-generational quartet of female and male farmers. Rendered across these four 1939-built GrainCorp silos, van Helten’s subjects bear expressions that exemplify the strength and resilience of the local farming community.
The work explores shifting notions of community identity when rural populations face immense economic pressure and tangible consequences of climate change.
Using the documentary style of humanist street photography as studies, the translucent aerosol technique conjures a sense of ghostliness. The resulting characters are profoundly connected to their chosen place, infusing the landscape with a comforting, familiar presence.
Van Helten was born in Canberra and grew up in Melbourne.
Celebrating everyday characters, his monochromatic, photorealistic style offers a glimpse into the lives of others. His murals tell stories of culture, history and identity in an effort to capture the soul of people and place.
